Lonely Planet Poland

under Nazi German control. The Führer set up camp deep in Polish territory, and remained there for over three years. A nationwide resistance movement, concentrated in the cities, had been put in place soon after war broke out to operate the Polish educational, judicial and communications systems. Armed squads were set up by the government-in-exile in 1940, and these evolved into the Armia Krajowa (AK; Home Army), which figured prominently in the Warsaw Rising. The Tide Turns Hitler’s defeat at Stalingrad in 1943 marked the turning point of the war on the eastern front, and from then on the Red Army successfully pushed westwards. After the Soviets liberated the Polish city of Lublin, the pro-communist Polish Committee of National Liberation (PKWN) was installed on 22 July 1944 and assumed the functions of a provisional government. A week later the Red Army reached the outskirts of Warsaw. Warsaw at that time remained under Nazi German occupation. In a last-ditch attempt to establish an independent Polish administration, the AK attempted to gain control of the city before the arrival THE WARSAW RISING In early 1944, with German forces retreating across Poland, the Polish resistance (Armia Krajowa; AK) in Warsaw was preparing for the liberation of its city. On 1 August 1944, orders were given for a general anti-German uprising, with the intention of establishing a Polish command in the city before the Red Army swept through. The initial ‘rising’ was remarkably successful and the AK, creating barricades from ripped-up paving slabs and using the Warsaw sewers as underground communication lines, took over large parts of the city. It hoped to control the city until support came from both the Allies and the Soviets. But none arrived. The Allies were preoccupied with breaking out of their beachhead in Normandy after the D-Day landings, and the Red Army, which was camped just outside the capital, didn’t lift a finger. On learning of the rising, Stalin halted the offensive and ordered his generals not to intervene or provide any assistance in the fighting. The Warsaw Rising raged for 63 days before the insurgents were forced to surrender; around 200,000 Poles were killed. The German revenge was brutal – Warsaw was literally razed to the ground, and, on Hitler’s orders, every inhabitant was to be killed. It wasn’t until 17 January 1945 that the Soviet army finally marched in to ‘liberate’ Warsaw, which by that time was little more than a heap of empty ruins. For the Poles, the Warsaw Rising was one of the most heroic – and most tragic – engagements of the war. The events of the rising are commemorated in the Warsaw Rising Museum and the Monument to the Warsaw Rising. Winston Churchill observed that ‘Poland was the only country which never collaborated with the Nazis in any form and no Polish units fought alongside the German army’. 11 November 1918 The date of the founding of the Second Republic, so named to create a symbolic bridge between itself and the Royal Republic that existed before the partitions. 28 June 1919 The Treaty of Versailles that formally ends WWI awards Poland the western part of Prussia and access to the Baltic Sea, but leaves Gdańsk a ‘free city’. August 1920 Poland defeats the Soviet Red Army in the Battle of Warsaw. The battle helps to secure large portions of land in what is now Belarus and Ukraine. 12–14 May 1926 Poland’s postwar experiment with democracy ends when Marshal Józef Piłsudski seizes power in a military coup, phases out parliament and imposes an authoritarian regime. 398History WWII

of the Soviet troops, with disastrous results. The Red Army continued its westward advance across Poland, and after a few months reached Berlin. The Nazi Reich capitulated on 8 May 1945. At the end of WWII, Poland lay in ruins. Over six million people, about 20% of the prewar population, lost their lives, and out of three million Polish Jews in 1939, only 80,000 to 90,000 survived the war. Its cities were no more than rubble; only 15% of Warsaw’s buildings survived. Many Poles who had seen out the war in foreign countries opted not to return to the new political order. Communist Poland Though Poland emerged from WWII among the victorious powers, it had the misfortune of falling within the Soviet-dominated Eastern bloc. The problems started at the Yalta Conference in February 1945, when the three Allied leaders, Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin, agreed to leave Poland under Soviet control. They agreed that Poland’s eastern frontier would roughly follow the Nazi Germany–Soviet demarcation line of 1939. Six months later Allied leaders set Poland’s western boundary along the MASSACRE AT KATYŃ In April 1943, German troops fighting Soviet forces on the eastern front came across extensive mass graves in the forest of Katyń, near Smolensk, in present-day Russia. Exploratory excavations revealed the remains of several thousand Polish soldiers and civilians who had been executed. The Soviet government denied all responsibility and accused the Germans of the crime. After the communists took power in Poland the subject remained taboo, even though Katyń was known to most Poles. It wasn’t until 1990 that the Soviets admitted their ‘mistake’, and two years later finally made public secret documents showing that Stalin’s Politburo was responsible for the massacre. The full horror of Katyń was finally revealed during exhumations of the mass graves by Polish archaeologists in 1995–96. Here’s what happened: soon after their invasion of Poland in September 1939, the Soviets took an estimated 180,000 prisoners, comprising Polish soldiers, police officers, judges, politicians, intellectuals, scientists, teachers, professors, writers and priests, and crammed them into various camps throughout the Soviet Union and the invaded territories. On Stalin’s order, signed in March 1940, about 21,800 of these prisoners, including many high-ranking officers, judges, teachers, physicians and lawyers, were transported from the camps to the forests of Katyń and other areas, shot dead and buried in mass graves. The Soviet intention was to exterminate the intellectual elite of Polish society. No one has been brought to trial for the atrocity, as Russia states that Katyń was a military crime rather than a genocide, war crime, or crime against humanity. In 1944 Stalin was quoted as saying ‘fitting communism onto Poland was like putting a saddle on a cow’. 1 September 1939 The Nazis use a staged attack on a German radio station by Germans dressed as Poles as a pretext to invade Poland. WWII starts. 17 September 1939 The Soviet Union fulfils its side of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, a blueprint for the division of Eastern Europe between it and Nazi Germany, and invades eastern Poland. 22 June 1941 Nazi Germany abrogates the MolotovRibbentrop Pact and declares war on the Soviet Union. This creates an uneasy alliance between Poland and the Soviet Union against their common foe. 1942 Nazi Germany establishes ‘Operation Reinhard’, the name given to its plan to murder the Jews in occupied Poland, and builds secret extermination camps in Poland’s far eastern regions. 399 History Commun ist Pol and

Odra (Oder) and the Nysa (Neisse) Rivers; in effect, the country returned to its medieval borders. The radical boundary changes were followed by population transfers of some 10 million people: Poles were moved into the newly defined Poland, while Germans, Ukrainians and Belarusians were resettled outside its boundaries. In the end, 98% of Poland’s population was ethnically Polish. As soon as Poland formally fell under Soviet control, Stalin launched an intensive Sovietisation campaign. Wartime resistance leaders were charged with Nazi collaboration, tried in Moscow and summarily shot or sentenced to arbitrary prison terms. A provisional Polish government was set up in Moscow in June 1945 and then transferred to Warsaw. After rigged elections in 1947, the new Sejm elected Bolesław Bierut president. In 1948 the Polish United Workers’ Party (PZPR), the country’s communist party, was formed to monopolise power, and in 1952 a Soviet-style constitution was adopted. The office of president was abolished and effective power passed to the first secretary of the Party Central Committee. Poland became an affiliate of the Warsaw Pact. Bread & Freedom Stalinist fanaticism never gained as much influence in Poland as in neighbouring countries, and soon after Stalin’s death in 1953 it all but disappeared. The powers of the secret police declined and some concessions were made to popular demands. The press was liberalised and Polish cultural values were resuscitated. In June 1956 a massive industrial strike demanding ‘bread and freedom’ broke out in Poznań. The action was put down by force and soon afterwards Władysław Gomułka, a former political prisoner of the Stalin era, was appointed first secretary of the Party. At first he commanded popular support, but later in his term he displayed an increasingly rigid and authoritarian attitude, putting pressure on the Church and intensifying persecution of the intelligentsia. It was ultimately an economic crisis, however, that brought about Gomułka’s downfall; when he announced official price increases in 1970, a wave of mass strikes erupted in Gdańsk, Gdynia and Szczecin. Again, the protests were crushed by force, resulting in 44 deaths. The Party, to save face, ejected Gomułka from office and replaced him with Edward Gierek. Another attempt to raise prices in 1976 incited labour protests, and again workers walked off the job, this time in Radom and Warsaw. Caught in a downward spiral, Gierek took out more foreign loans, but, to earn hard currency with which to pay the interest, he was forced to divert consumer goods away from the domestic market and sell them abroad. Acclaimed Polish director Andrzej Wajda’s 2007 film Katyń is a powerful and moving piece of work about the massacre of Polish officers in the Soviet Union on Stalin’s orders during WWII. It’s given added emotional impact by the fact that Wajda’s own father was one of those officers. 19 April 1943 The date of the start of the Ghetto Uprising in Warsaw. The Jewish resistance fighters hold out against overwhelming German forces for almost a month. 1 August 1944 Start of the Warsaw Rising. The entire city becomes a battleground, and after the uprising is quelled, the Germans decide to raze Warsaw to the ground. 27 January 1945 The Soviet Red Army liberates Germany’s Auschwitz-Birkenau extermination camp. Some of the first photos and film footage of the Holocaust are seen around the world. February– August 1945 Poland’s borders are redrawn. The Soviet Union annexes 180,000 sq km to the east, while the Allies return 100,000 sq km of Poland’s western provinces after centuries of German rule. 400History Commun ist Pol and

By 1980 the external debt stood at US$21 billion and the economy had slumped disastrously. By then, the opposition had grown into a significant force, backed by numerous advisers from the intellectual circles. When, in July 1980, the government again announced food-price increases, the outcome was predictable: fervent and well-organised strikes and riots spread like wildfire throughout the country. In August, they paralysed major ports, the Silesian coal mines and the Lenin Shipyard in Gdańsk. Unlike most previous popular protests, the 1980 strikes were nonviolent; the strikers did not take to the streets, but stayed in their factories. Solidarity & the Collapse of Communism The end of communism in Poland was a long and drawn-out affair that can be traced back to 1980 and the birth of the Solidarity trade union. On 31 August of that year, after protracted and rancorous negotiations in the Lenin Shipyard, the government signed the Gdańsk Agreement. It forced the ruling party to accept most of the strikers’ demands, including the workers’ right to organise independent trade unions, and to strike. In return, workers agreed to adhere to the constitution and to accept the Party’s power as supreme. Workers’ delegations from around the country convened and founded Solidarity (Solidarność), a nationwide independent and self-governing trade union. Lech Wałęsa, who led the Gdańsk strike, was elected chair. It wasn’t long before Solidarity’s rippling effect caused waves within the government. Gierek was replaced by Stanisław Kania, who in turn lost out to General Wojciech Jaruzelski in October 1981. The trade union’s greatest influence was on Polish society. After 35 years of restraint, the Poles launched themselves into a spontaneous and chaotic sort of democracy. Wide-ranging debates over the process of reform were led by Solidarity, and the independent press flourished. Such taboo historical subjects as the Stalin–Hitler pact and the Katyń massacre could, for the first time, be openly discussed. Not surprisingly, the 10 million Solidarity members represented a wide range of attitudes, from confrontational to conciliatory. By and large, it was Wałęsa’s charismatic authority that kept the union on a moderate and balanced course. Martial Law & Its Aftermath In spite of its agreement to recognise the Solidarity trade union, the Polish government remained under pressure from both the Soviets and local hardliners not to introduce any significant reforms. This only led to further discontent and, in the absence of other legal options, more strikes. Amid fruitless wrangling, the economic Learn more about the communist years at www. ipn.gov.pl, the website of the Institute of National Remembrance. COMMUNISM 8 May 1945 WWII officially ends with the surrender of Nazi Germany. There’s great joy throughout Poland, but also apprehension as the war’s end finds the country occupied by the Soviet Red Army. 1947 Despite Stanisław Mikołajczyk – the government-in-exile’s only representative to return to Poland – receiving over 80% of the vote in elections, ‘officials’ hand power to the communists. June 1956 Poland’s first industrial strike, in Poznań. Around 100,000 people take to the streets; the Soviet Union crushes the revolt with tanks, leaving 76 dead and over 900 wounded. 1970 West German chancellor Willy Brandt signs the Warsaw Treaty that formally recognises the country’s borders. Brandt famously kneels at a monument to the victims of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. 401 History Solidar i t y & the Coll apse of Commun ism

crisis grew more severe. After the unsuccessful talks of November 1981 between the government, Solidarity and the Church, social tensions increased and led to a political stalemate. When General Jaruzelski unexpectedly appeared on TV in the early hours of the morning of 13 December 1981 to declare martial law, tanks were already on the streets, army checkpoints had been set up on every corner, and paramilitary squads had been posted to possible trouble spots. Power was placed in the hands of the Military Council of National Salvation (WRON), a group of military officers under the command of Jaruzelski himself. Solidarity was suspended and all public gatherings, demonstrations and strikes were banned. Several thousand people, including most Solidarity leaders and Wałęsa himself, were interned. The spontaneous demonstrations and strikes that followed were crushed, military rule was effectively imposed all over Poland within two weeks of its declaration, and life returned to the pre-Solidarity norm. In October 1982 the government formally dissolved Solidarity and released Wałęsa from detention, but the trade union continued underground on a much smaller scale, enjoying widespread sympathy and support. In July 1984 a limited amnesty was announced and some members of the political opposition were released from prison. But further arrests continued, following every public protest, and it was not until 1986 that all political prisoners were freed. The Gorbachev Impact The election of Mikhail Gorbachev as leader in the Soviet Union in 1985, and his glasnost and perestroika programs, gave an important stimulus to democratic reforms throughout Central and Eastern Europe. By early 1989, Jaruzelski had softened his position and allowed the opposition to challenge for parliamentary seats. These ‘semi-free’ elections – semi-free in the sense that regardless of the outcome, the communists were guaranteed a number of seats – were held in June 1989, and Solidarity succeeded in getting an overwhelming majority of its candidates elected to the Senate, the upper house of parliament. The communists, however, reserved for themselves 65% of seats in the Sejm. Jaruzelski was placed in the presidency as a stabilising guarantor of political changes for both Moscow and the local communists, but a non-communist prime minister, Tadeusz Mazowiecki, was installed as a result of personal pressure from Wałęsa. This power-sharing deal, with the first non-communist prime minister in Eastern Europe since WWII, paved the way for the domino-like More Reading on Poland in WWII No Simple Victory: World War II in Europe, by Norman Davies Rising ’44: The Battle for Warsaw, by Norman Davies Bloodlands: Europe between Hitler and Stalin, by Timothy Snyder Between Two Evils, by Lucyna B Radlo 1978 Karol Wojtyła, archbishop of Kraków, becomes Pope John Paul II. His election and triumphal visit to his homeland a year later dramatically increase political ferment. November 1980 Solidarity, the first non-communist trade union in a communist country, is formally recognised by the government. A million of the 10 million members come from Communist Party ranks. 13 December 1981 Martial law is declared in Poland. It is debatable whether the move is Soviet driven or an attempt by the Polish communists to prevent Soviet military intervention. It lasts until 1983. April 1989 Poland becomes the first Eastern European state to break from communism. In round-table negotiations, Poland’s opposition is allowed to stand for parliament and Solidarity is re-established. 402History Solidar i t y & the Coll apse of Commun ism

collapse of communism throughout the Soviet bloc. The Communist Party, losing members and confidence, historically dissolved itself in 1990. The Rise & Fall of Lech Wałęsa In November 1990, Solidarity leader Lech Wałęsa won the first fully free presidential elections and the Third Republic of Poland was born. For Wałęsa it marked the high point of his career and for Poland the start of a very rocky rebirth. In the first few months of the new republic, the government’s finance minister, Leszek Balcerowicz, introduced a package of reforms that would change the centrally planned communist system into a free-market economy almost overnight. His economic plan, dubbed ‘shock therapy’ for the rapid way that it would be implemented, allowed prices to move freely, abolished subsidies, tightened the money supply, and sharply devalued the currency, making it fully convertible with Western currencies. The effect was almost instant. Within a few months the economy appeared to have stabilised, food shortages became glaringly absent and shops filled up with goods. On the downside, prices skyrocketed and unemployment exploded. The initial wave of optimism and forbearance turned into uncertainty and discontent, and the tough austerity measures caused the popularity of the government to decline. As for Wałęsa, while he was a highly capable union leader and charismatic man, as president he proved markedly less successful. During his statutory five-year term in office, Poland witnessed no fewer than five governments and five prime ministers, each struggling to put the newborn democracy back on track. His presidential style and accomplishments were repeatedly questioned by practically all of the political parties and the majority of the electorate. The Country Turns to the Left Wałęsa was defeated in the 1995 presidential election by Aleksander Kwaśniewski – a former communist. Though the election was close, it marked quite a comedown for Solidarity and for Wałęsa, its anticommunist folk hero. With the post of prime minister in the hands of another former communist, Włodzimierz Cimoszewicz, and parliament moving to the left as well, the country that had spearheaded the anti-communist movement in Central and Eastern Europe oddly found itself with a firmly left-wing government – a ‘red triangle’ as Wałęsa himself had warned. The Catholic Church, much favoured by Wałęsa during his term in the saddle, also lost out and didn’t fail to caution the faithful against the danger of ‘neopaganism’ under the new regime. Good Reads on the ’89 Revolution The Magic Lantern: The Revolution of ’89, by Timothy Garton Ash 1989: The Struggle to Create Post– Cold War Europe, by Mary Elise Sarotte The Year that Changed the World, by Michael Meyer 1990 Not a great year for Polish communists. The Party dissolves, the first democratic presidential election takes place and the country becomes a free-market economy. 1995 Former communist Aleksander Kwaśniewski defeats Lech Wałęsa for the presidency in what ends up being a humiliating climb-down for the former leader of the Solidarity trade union. 1999 Poland becomes a member of NATO. The country has come full circle, moving from the Warsaw Pact with the former Soviet Union to an alliance with the West. 1 May 2004 Poland joins the EU. Despite massive support, there is fear that the country is swapping one foreign governing power for another, and EU membership will spark a wave of emigration. 403 History The Rise & Fall of L ech Wał ęsa

President Kwaśniewski’s political style proved to be much more successful than Wałęsa’s. He brought much-needed political calm to his term in office, and was able to cooperate successfully with both the left and right wings of the political establishment. This gained him a degree of popular support, and paved the way for another five-year term in office in the presidential election in October 2000. Wałęsa, trying his luck for yet another time, suffered a disastrous defeat, collecting just 1% of the vote this time around. On 1 May 2004, under Kwaśniewski’s presidency, Poland fulfilled its biggest post-communist foreign-policy objective, joining the European Union along with seven other countries from Central and Eastern Europe. The Disaster at Smolensk Outside of the traditional ups and downs of Poland’s electoral politics, the year 2010 brought epic tragedy to the leadership that affected both the right and left of the political establishment and threw the entire country into prolonged sorrow. On 10 April that year a Polish air-force jet carrying 96 people, including president Lech Kaczyński, his wife and a high-level Polish delegation of 15 members of parliament, crashed near the Russian city of Smolensk. There were no survivors. The plane had been flying in from Warsaw for a memorial service to mark the 70th anniversary of the WWII-era massacre of Polish officers at Katyń Forest. The pilot attempted to land the plane in heavy fog at a military airport, struck a tree on the descent and missed the runway. An initial high-level Russian commission placed the blame on pilot error, though an official Polish government report, released in 2011, assigned blame to both the Polish side and to air-traffic controllers on the Russian side. The crash brought overwhelming grief to the country and a procession of high-level funerals. However, it also served to unite the country’s fractured politics – albeit briefly – and ultimately proved the strength of the country’s democracy. While many leading officials were killed, there was no ensuing succession crisis. Following the disaster, the presidency fell to parliamentary speaker Bronisław Komorowski, who promptly called for early elections. Komorowski, of the right-leaning Civic Platform party, won in a run-off against the late president’s twin brother, Jarosław Kaczyński. Komorowski served as president until the elections of 2015, when he was defeated at the ballot box by the right-of-centre Andrzej Duda. July 2006 Twin brothers Lech and Jarosław Kaczyński occupy the presidential and prime minister seats respectively. Their nationalistic and conservative policies alienate many people. April 2010 President Lech Kaczyński, his wife and more than 90 others die in a tragic plane crash near the Russian city of Smolensk. The country unites in grief. 9 October 2011 Parliamentary elections confirm the leadership of the right-leaning Civic Platform party, but the socially liberal Palikot Movement polls a historic 10% of the vote. 24 May 2015 In the closest presidential race in Polish history, rightof-centre Law and Justice (PiS) candidate Andrzej Duda defeats incumbent Bronisław Komorowski. 404History The Disast er at Smolensk

Jewish Heritage For centuries up until WWII, Poland was home to Europe’s biggest population of Jews. Warsaw was the second-largest Jewish city in the world, after New York. It goes without saying that in many, many ways the saddest result of WWII was the near total destruction of this community and culture at the hands of Nazi Germany. Poland, and the world, is all the poorer for it. Early Days Jews began arriving in what is now Poland around the turn of the first millennium, just as the Polish kingdom was being formed. Many of these early arrivals were traders, coming from the south and east along established trading routes. From the period of the early Crusades (around 1100), Poland began to develop a name for itself as a haven for Jews, a reputation it would maintain for centuries. At least some of the early Jewish inhabitants were coinmakers, as many Polish coins from the period bear Hebrew inscriptions. The Enlightened Kazimierz The Polish ruler most often associated with the growth of Poland’s Jewish population is Kazimierz III Wielki (Casimir III the Great; 1333–70), an enlightened monarch who passed a series of groundbreaking statutes that expanded privileges for Jews. It’s no coincidence that the Kazimierz district near Kraków and Kazimierz Dolny, both important Jewish centres, bear his name. All was not a bed of roses and the good times were punctuated by occasional deadly pogroms, often as not whipped up by the clergy. At the time, the Catholic Church was not as fond of Jews as were the king and nobility, who relied on Jewish traders as middlemen. The 16th century is considered the golden age of Poland’s Jews; the century saw a dramatic leap in the kingdom’s Jewish population, driven in part by immigration. It was during this century that the Jewish population of the Kraków district of Kazimierz began to grow. It was an independent town at the time, with a significant Catholic population. Over the centuries, it would evolve into one of Poland’s most important concentrations of Jewish culture and scholarship. Much of Europe was then an intolerant place, and Jews were being forced out of neighbouring countries. Many new arrivals were Sephardim, descendants of Spanish Jews who’d been tossed out of Spain by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella in 1492. By the end of the 16th century, Poland had a larger Jewish population than the rest of Europe combined. Pogroms & Partition If the 16th century was good, the 17th century was an unprecedented disaster, both for the country and its Jewish population. Cities with Important Jewish Heritage Warsaw: The former Jewish ghetto Kraków: Kazimierz and Podgórze Lublin: The Jewish heritage trail Łódź: The Litzmannstadt ghetto Kazimierz Dolny: The Jewish cemetery ‘If a Christian desecrates or defiles a Jewish cemetery in any way, he should be punished severely as demanded by law.’ – Bolesław the Pious, inviting Jewish settlement in 1264. 405

The Cossack insurrection of the 1650s in neighbouring Ukraine, led by Bohdan Chmielnicki, resulted in massive pogroms and the slaughter of tens of thousands of Jews in the southeastern parts of the Polish kingdom. The war with Sweden, the ‘Deluge’, laid waste to much of the kingdom. Jews found themselves caught in the middle, ruthlessly hunted by Swedes on one side and Poles on the other. After the partitions of the 18th and early 19th centuries, conditions for Jews differed greatly depending on what area they found themselves in. In the southern and eastern parts of the country that went to Austria, Jews enjoyed a gradual move towards religious tolerance – a trend that began in 1782 under Austrian Emperor Joseph II with his ‘Edict of Tolerance’. The edict formally allowed Jewish children to attend schools and universities and permitted adults to participate in various jobs outside of traditional trades, as well as to own and operate factories. These freedoms were expanded slowly, in fits and starts, to other areas of the former Polish kingdom over the 19th century. Industrialisation in the 19th century led to higher living standards for Jews and non-Jews alike. Many Jews chose to leave the shtetl (small Jewish villages in the countryside) for greater opportunities in rapidly growing cities like Łódź. Urbanisation accelerated the process of assimilation, and by the 20th century, urban-dwelling Jews and Poles had much more in common than they had apart. Any existing legal distinctions between Jews and Poles vanished after WWI with the establishment of an independent Poland, which declared everyone equal under the law regardless of religion or nationality. A 1931 census showed Poland’s Jews numbered just under three million people, or around 10% of the population. WWII & The Holocaust It goes beyond the scope of this section to describe in any detail the near-total slaughter of Poland’s Jewish population by Nazi Germany starting in 1939. The numbers speak for themselves: of around three million Jews living in Poland in 1939, fewer than 100,000 survived the war. Whole communities, large and small, were wiped out. In the early stages of the war, in 1940 and ’41, the German occupiers forced Jews to live in restricted ghettos, such as in Warsaw, Łódź, Kraków’s Podgórze neighbourhood, and scores of smaller cities around the country. In some cases, these were de facto internment camps; in others, like at Łódź, they were labour camps, harnessed directly to Germany’s war effort. Living conditions were appalling and thousands died of disease, exhaustion and malnutrition. To this day, Polish cities like Lublin, Częstochowa and Radom still bear the scars of their former ghettos; the parts of these cities where the wartime ghettos were built often remain bleak and depressed. After Germany declared war on the Soviet Union in the summer of 1941, Nazi policy towards the Jews shifted from one of internment to that of full-scale extermination. For many, death would come quickly. By the end of 1942 and early 1943, the majority of Poland’s Jewry was gone. Most of the victims were shot in the fields and forests around their villages, or deported to hastily erected extermination camps at Auschwitz-Birkenau, Treblinka, Sobibór and Bełżec. The extermination camps at Auschwitz-Birkenau and some other places would continue on through 1944, but by then most of the victims were European Jews from outside Poland. The book Jews in Poland: A Documentary History, by Iwo Cyprian Pogonowski, provides a comprehensive record of half a millennium of Polish-Jewish relations. Most Important Holocaust Memorial Sites & Camps AuschwitzBirkenau Majdanek Bełżec Treblinka Sobibór 406Jewish Heritage WWII & The Holocaust 406

Disillusionment & Emigration In the aftermath of WWII, many surviving Jews opted to emigrate to Israel or the USA. A small percentage decided to try to rebuild their lives in Poland, with decidedly mixed results. It seems hard to believe now, but in the months and years after the war, there was not much sympathy in Poland for Holocaust survivors. Poland was a ravaged country, and every person to some extent had been made a victim by the war. Adding to this vitriolic atmosphere, after the war many impoverished Poles had simply asserted ownership of the homes and apartments of Jews who had been forcibly evacuated by the Nazis. In many cases, they were not prepared to give the properties back (even in the rare instances when the original owners actually survived the Holocaust). While it must be stated that most Poles acted honourably during the war – and many gave shelter to their Jewish neighbours – this ugly strain of Polish anti-Semitism has attracted its own share of scholars and books. Among the best-known of these is Jan T. Gross’ Fear: Anti-Semitism in Poland After Auschwitz. The low point came in Kielce in July 1946, when around 40 Jews were attacked and killed by an angry mob of Poles. The origins of the pogrom are unclear – some believe the attack was instigated by communist authorities – but for many Jews it marked a watershed in Polish attitudes. Emigration rates rose and few Jews chose to stay. Additionally, Poland’s position within the Soviet-controlled Eastern bloc greatly complicated the way the Holocaust was taught and commemorated. The Soviet Union had waged a mighty struggle to Best Jewish Festivals Jewish Culture Festival, Kraków Jewish Cultural Festival, Białystok Four Cultures, Łódź READING UP ON THE HOLOCAUST The genre of Holocaust-period literature is immense and it’s not possible to mention all of the excellent titles, many written by Holocaust survivors and rich with detail. The most popular works include Thomas Keneally’s Schindler’s Ark (later retitled as Schindler’s List and adapted as a film by Steven Spielberg), John Boyne’s fictional The Boy in the Striped Pajamas and, of course, Anne Frank’s The Diary of a Young Girl. As far as historic works go, we like Laurence Rees’ Auschwitz: A New History, which combines excellent scholarship with personal anecdote to explain how the changes in official Nazi policy during the war were felt at camps like Auschwitz-Birkenau. It sounds dry; however, it’s anything but. An occasionally overlooked masterpiece is Fatelessness, by Hungarian Nobel laureate Imre Kertész. The novel tells the Auschwitz story through the eyes of a 15-year-old boy separated from his family in Budapest. In many ways, the gold standard of Holocaust survival literature remains Primo Levi’s Survival in Auschwitz (published in some countries under the name If This is a Man). Levi, an Italian Jew, survived the war as a prisoner in the Monowitz camp at Auschwitz-Birkenau. It’s a brilliant read, filled with honest sentiment of a young man simply trying to comprehend the insanity around him and stay alive. Levi continued writing for several decades before his death in 1987 of an apparent suicide. He returned to the theme of the Holocaust again and again in books like The Reawakening, If Not Now, When? and The Drowned and the Saved. To see the camps from a Polish author’s perspective, pick up a copy of Tadeusz Borowski’s This Way for the Gas, Ladies and Gentlemen, in English translation. Borowski was not a Jew, but a political prisoner. His Auschwitz-Birkenau is a madhouse of boxing matches and brothels and filled with unlucky souls willing to risk everything simply for the chance to steal a potato. 407 Jewish Heritage Disi llusionment & Emigratio n

defeat Nazi Germany and the official line was to milk that effort for all it was worth. To that end, the suffering of the Jews was politicised, viewed as part of a greater struggle of the working class over fascism. Even today, many Holocaust memorial sites – such as Majdanek near Lublin – remain marred by wildly overblown communist-era statuary that appear to cast the Holocaust as part of an epic battle, instead of more appropriately being memorials to honour the lives lost. Jewish Revival The years since the collapse of the communist regime have seen a marked improvement in local attitudes towards Jewish culture and history, and what might even be termed a modest Jewish revival. Kraków, especially the former Jewish quarter of Kazimierz, has led the way. The city’s annual Jewish Culture Festival is filled with theatre, film and, most of all, boisterous klezmer music. The festival has emerged as one of the city’s – and the country’s – cultural highlights. In 2010, Kraków opened the doors to an impressive museum covering the Nazi-German occupation of the city during WWII, housed in the former enamel factory of Oskar Schindler, of Schindler’s List fame. Kazimierz itself is a mixed bag of serious Jewish remnants and cheesybut-fun Jewish restaurants, where the Fiddler on the Roof theme is laid on so thick that even Zero Mostel would probably blush. Still, the energy is infectious and has exerted a positive influence on other cities, including Warsaw, Lublin and Łódź, to embrace their own Jewish heritage. In the past few years, the tourist office in Łódź has marked out an important Jewish landmarks trail that you can follow through that city’s former Jewish area and learn the tragic but fascinating story of what was the country’s longest-surviving ghetto during the war. Lublin, too, now has a self-guided tour that highlights that city’s rich Jewish heritage. Warsaw, which was home to the biggest Jewish population and wartime ghetto, had long been a laggard in the effort to embrace the country’s Jewish past, but that changed in 2014 with the opening of the impressive, interactive Museum of the History of Polish Jews. Auschwitz: The Nazis and the Final Solution is a BBC documentary that attempts to deal with the horrific events at AuschwitzBirkenau. Cities with Beautiful Synagogues Kraków (Kazimierz district) Zamość Oświęcim Nowy Sącz JEWISH TOURS Several tour companies and organisations offer guided tours to Poland’s most significant Jewish heritage sights, as well as to important Holocaust destinations. Outside of the companies listed here, local tourist offices can provide information on a particular area’s Jewish sights and history. Our Roots (p434) This Warsaw-based tour group specialises in tours of Jewish sites around the city and region. It offers a standard five-hour ‘Jewish Warsaw’ tour for around 500zł. Other tours, including to Auschwitz-Birkenau and Treblinka, can be organised on request. Jarden Tourist Agency (p434) Based in Kraków, this tour operator specialises in Jewish heritage tours around town. The most popular one, ‘Retracing Schindler’s List’ (two hours by car), costs around 70zł per person for groups of four or more. Momentum Tours & Travel (%in the USA 305 466 0652; www.momentumtours.com; h10am-4pm Mon-Fri ) One of the best of many international tourist agencies that offer specialised tours of Jewish heritage sites in Poland. The company’s nine-day Poland tour includes off-the-beaten-track destinations like Lublin, Kazimierz Dolny and Tarnów, among others. 408Jewish Heritage J ewish Re vival

The Arts Poles punch above their weight when it comes to the arts. Literature and cinema are where the country excels. Poland has produced no fewer than four Nobel Prize winners in literature and several household names when it comes to film, including Andrzej Wajda, Roman Polański and Krzysztof Kieślowski. Judging from the number of concerts and festivals around the country, the performing arts, including classical music, theatre and dance, are alive and kicking. Literature In Poland, as in many Central European countries, literature holds a special place in the hearts of citizens. It has served as the only outlet for resentment against foreign rule during occupation, and has often captured the spirit of a struggling country. Novelists The Nobel Prize for literature was first awarded in 1901, and it was only four years later that Henryk Sienkiewicz (1846–1916) became the first of four Polish writers to be so honoured. Sienkiewicz took the prize for Quo Vadis?, an epic novel chronicling the love affair between a pagan Roman and a young Christian girl in ancient Rome. Novelist and short-story writer Władysław Reymont (1867–1925) won the Nobel in 1924 for The Peasants (Chłopi), a four-volume epic about Polish village life. Between the wars, several brilliant avant-garde writers emerged who were only fully appreciated after WWII. They included Bruno Schulz (1892–1942), Witold Gombrowicz (1904–69) and Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz (also known as Witkacy; 1885–1939). Despite penning only a handful of books, Schulz is regarded as one of Poland’s leading literary lights; his The Street of Crocodiles is a good introduction to his ingenious, imaginative prose. As a Jew caught in the maelstrom of WWII, he stood little chance of surviving the German occupation. The Post-WWII Generation The postwar period presented Polish writers with a conundrum: adopt communism and effectively sell out, or take a more independent path and risk persecution. Czesław Miłosz (1911–2004), who broke with the communist regime, offered an analysis of this problem in The Captive Mind (Zniewolony Umysł). Miłosz, a long-time émigré, spent the last 40 years of his life in the USA. He won the Nobel Prize in 1980 in recognition of his achievements. Novelist, screenwriter and film director Tadeusz Konwicki (1926–2015) is another remarkable figure of the postwar literary scene. Konwicki was a teenage resistance fighter during WWII, and his pre-1989 works had communist censors tearing their hair out. He wrote more than 20 novels; MustReads by Polish Writers The Painted Bird, Jerzy Kosiński The Street of Crocodiles, Bruno Schulz The Polish Complex, Tadeusz Konwicki The Captive Mind, Czesław Miłosz Solaris, Stanisław Lem The Polish Way: A Thousand-Year History of the Poles and their Culture (1988) by Adam Zamoyski is one of the best accounts of Polish culture from its birth to the recent past. It is fully illustrated and exquisitely written. 409

among novels; among the best known are the brilliant A Minor Apocalypse (Mała Apokalipsa) and The Polish Complex (Kompleks Polski). Stanisław Lem (1921–2006) is Poland’s premier writer of science fiction. Around 27 million copies of his books, translated into 41 languages, have been sold around the world. The most famous is Solaris. Poetry The 19th century produced three exceptional Polish poets: Adam Mickiewicz (1798–1855), Juliusz Słowacki (1809–49) and Zygmunt Krasiński (1812–59). Known as the Three Bards, they captured a nation deprived of its independence in their romantic work. The greatest of the three, Mickiewicz, is to the Poles what Shakespeare is to the British, and is as much a cultural icon as a historical and creative figure. Born in Navahrudak, in what is now Belarus, he was a political activist in his youth and was deported to central Russia for five years. He left Poland in the 1830s, never to return, and served as a professor of literature in Lausanne and Paris. Mickiewicz’ most famous poem, known to all Polish schoolchildren, is the epic, book-length Pan Tadeusz (1834). It is a romantic evocation of a lost world of 18th-century Polish-Lithuanian gentry, torn apart by the Partition of 1795. Interestingly, Poland’s fourth and most recent Nobel Prize (in 1996) went to a poet, Wisława Szymborska (b 1923). The Swedish academy described her as ‘the Mozart of poetry’ with ‘something of the fury of Beethoven’. For those wanting to sample her work in English, a good introduction is the volume entitled View with a Grain of Sand, published in 1995. Cinema Though the invention of the cinema is attributed to the Lumière brothers, some sources claim that a Pole, Piotr Lebiedziński, should take some of the credit; he built a film camera in 1893, two years before the movie craze took off. The first Polish film was shot in 1908, but large-scale film production only took off after WWI. Little work produced between the wars reached international audiences; the country’s greatest contribution to world cinema at the time was actress Pola Negri (1897–1987), a star of Hollywood’s silent flicks of the 1920s. POLISH PROSE IN EXILE A number of Polish émigrés have made a name for themselves outside the country. Józef Teodor Konrad Nałęcz Korzeniowski (1857–1924) was born into a family of impoverished but patriotic gentry in Berdichev, now in western Ukraine. He left the country in 1874 and, after 20 years travelling the world as a sailor, settled in England. Though fluent in Polish, he dedicated himself to writing in English. He is known throughout the world by his adopted name of Joseph Conrad, and his novels (Heart of Darkness and Lord Jim, to name but two) are considered classics of English literature. American Nobel Prize–winner Isaac Bashevis Singer (1902–91) spent his formative years in Poland before moving to the USA in 1935 in the face of rising fascism. Singer originally wrote in his native tongue of Yiddish, before translating his work into English for an American audience. Two of his most memorable stories are Enemies, a Love Story and Yentl; the latter was made into a film starring Barbara Streisand. Despite controversy surrounding the authenticity of some of Jerzy Kosiński’s works, the author (1933–91) is known for two highly regarded novels, The Painted Bird and Being There. Kosiński was born Josek Lewinkopf in Łódź and emigrated to the USA in 1957. The website www. polishwriting. net is a guide to around 20 contemporary Polish novelists whose works are available in English, and includes short biographies, interviews, articles and extracts from their works. WRITERS 410The Arts Cinema 410

The Polish School Polish cinema came to the fore from 1955 to 1963, the period known as the Polish School. The school drew heavily on literature and dealt with moral evaluations of the war – its three greatest prodigies, Andrzej Wajda (b 1926), Roman Polański (b 1933) and Jerzy Skolimowski (b 1938), all attended the Łódź Film School and went on to international acclaim. Wajda produced arguably his best work during this time, the famous trilogy A Generation (Pokolenie), Canal (Kanał) and Ashes and Diamonds (Popiół i Diament). Since then, the tireless Wajda has produced a film every few years or so, the best of which include Man of Marble (Człowiek z Marmuru), its sequel Man of Iron (Człowiek z Żelaza), and The Promised Land (Ziemia Obiecana), which was nominated for an Oscar. In 2007 Wajda shot to the top of Polish cinema once again with his controversial and deeply moving film, Katyń, about the massacre of Polish officers by the Soviet Union in the Katyń Forest during WWII. Polański and Skolimowski began their careers in the early ’60s; the former made only one feature film in Poland, Knife in the Water (Nóż w Wodzie), before continuing his career in the West. The latter shot four films, of which the last, Hands Up (Ręce do Góry), made in 1967, was kept from the public until 1985. Skolimowski also left Poland for more receptive pastures, and while he gained an international following, it was nothing compared to the recognition Polański received. Polański’s body of work includes such remarkable films as Cul-de-Sac, Revulsion, Rosemary’s Baby, Chinatown, Bitter Moon and The Pianist. After the Polish School Poland’s film-makers never again reached the heights of the Polish School after 1963, yet they continued to make exemplary works. The communist era produced a string of important directors, including Krzysztof Zanussi, Andrzej Żuławski and Agnieszka Holland, and in 1970 Marek Piwowski shot The Cruise (Rejs), Poland’s first cult film. One name that regularly tops the list of art-house favourites is Krzysztof Kieślowski (1941–96), the director of the extraordinary trilogy Three Colours: Blue/White/Red. He started in 1977 with Scar (Blizna), but his first widely acclaimed feature was Amateur (Amator). After several mature films, he undertook the challenge of making Decalogue (Dekalog), a 10-part TV series that was broadcast all over the world. In 2015 the film Ida, by director Paweł Pawlikowski, became the first Polish feature to win the Oscar for Best Foreign Film. It’s a moving story – filmed in black and white – of a young girl in training to become a nun in 1960s as she discovers her Jewish roots and the wartime fate of her family. Music Classical Music The foremost figure in the history of Polish music is Frédéric Chopin (1810–49), who crystallised the national style in classical music, taking inspiration from folk or court dances and tunes such as polonez (polonaise), mazurek (mazurka), oberek and kujawiak. No one else in the history of Polish music has so creatively used folk rhythms for concert pieces, nor achieved such international recognition. Chopin was not the only composer inspired by folk dances at the time. Stanisław Moniuszko (1819–72) used his inspiration to create Polish national opera; two of his best-known pieces, Halka and Straszny Dwór, are staples of the national opera-house repertoire. Henryk Wieniawski (1835–80), another remarkable 19th-century composer, also achieved great heights in the world of Polish music. By the start of the 20th century, Polish artists were beginning to grace the world stage. The first to do so were the piano virtuosos Ignacy Paderewski Don’t-Miss Films by Polish Directors The Pianist, Roman Polański The Three Colours Trilogy, Krzysztof Kieślowski Ashes and Diamonds, Andrzej Wajda Katyń, Andrzej Wajda The Double Life of Veronique, Krzysztof Kieślowski Check out the Polish Film Institute’s website at www.pisf. pl for up-to-date information on the Polish film industry. 411 The Arts M usic

Where to Find Frédéric Chopin Chopin Museum, Warsaw Church of the Holy Cross, Warsaw; Chopin’s heart is buried here Warsaw University; Chopin studied here Żelazowa Wola, Warsaw; Chopin’s birthplace ALL THAT JAZZ Jazz clubs come and go, but jazz as a music form retains a passionate following in Poland. This possibly owes something to the fact that jazz was officially frowned upon by the former communist government for nearly 40 years. Krzysztof Komeda (1931–69), a legendary pianist, became Poland’s first jazz star in the postwar decades and an inspiration to many who followed, including Michał Urbaniak (violin, saxophone), Zbigniew Namysłowski (saxophone) and Tomasz Stańko (trumpet), all of whom became pillars of the scene in the 1960s. Urbaniak opted to pursue his career in the USA, and is perhaps the best-known Polish jazz musician on the international scene. Of the younger generation, Leszek Możdżer (piano) is possibly the biggest revelation thus far, followed by several other exceptionally skilled pianists such as Andrzej Jagodziński and Włodzimierz Pawlik. Other jazz talents to watch out for include Piotr Wojtasik (trumpet), Maciej Sikała (saxophone), Adam Pierończyk (saxophone), Piotr Baron (saxophone) and Cezary Konrad (drums). Several Polish cities hold annual jazz festivals. One of the best is Kraków’s Summer Jazz Festival, held throughout July and August. Poles who became household names include Antoni Patek (cofounder of watchmakers Patek Philippe & Co), Max Factor (the father of modern cosmetics) and the four Warner brothers (founders of Warner Bros). (1860–1941) and Artur Rubinstein (1886–1982); the latter performed right up until his death. Karol Szymanowski (1882–1937) was another musical personality of the first half of the 20th century; his best-known composition, the ballet Harnasie, was influenced by folk music from the Tatra Mountains, which he transformed into the contemporary musical idiom. Rock & Pop Rock has a long and storied tradition in Poland, going back well before the downfall of communism in 1989. The country’s first rock pioneer was Tadeusz Nalepa (1943–2007), who began his career in the late 1960s and went on to nationwide success. Other veterans of the rock-pop scene include Lady Pank, Republika, Budka Suflera, Maanam, Bajm, T. Love and Hey. Recent years have seen a rash of productions covering just about every musical genre and style from salsa to rap. Brathanki and Golec uOrkiestra are both popular groups that creatively mix folk and pop rhythms, and the likes of Wilki, Dżem and Myslovitz are keeping the country’s rock traditions alive. In recent years Disco Polo – a disco-based dance music pioneered in the 1990s and unique to Poland – has made a comeback, and clubs such as Kraków’s Hush Live have dedicated themselves to the style. Painting The country’s first major painter was no Pole at all. Bernardo Bellotto (c 1721–80) was born in Venice, the nephew (and pupil) of that quintessential Venetian artist, Canaletto. He specialised in vedute (town views) and explored Europe thoroughly, landing the job of court painter in Warsaw during the reign of King Stanisław August Poniatowski (1764–95). An entire room in Warsaw’s Royal Castle is devoted to his detailed views of the city, which proved invaluable as references during the reconstruction of the Old Town after WWII. Bellotto often signed his canvases ‘de Canaletto’, and as a result is commonly known in Poland simply as Canaletto. Development of Polish Artists By the middle of the 19th century, Poland was ready for its own painters. Born in Kraków, Jan Matejko (1838–93) created stirring canvases that glorified Poland’s past achievements. He aimed to keep alive in the minds of his viewers the notion of a proud and independent Polish nation, at a time when Poland had ceased to exist as a political entity. His best-known work is The Battle of Grunwald (1878), an enormous paint412The Arts Paintin g

ing that took three years to complete. It depicts the famous victory of the united Polish, Lithuanian and Ruthenian forces over the Teutonic Knights in 1410 and is displayed in Warsaw’s National Museum. The likes of Józef Brandt (1841–1915) and Wojciech Kossak (1857–1942) also contributed to the documentation of Polish history at this time; Kossak is best remembered as co-creator of the colossal Panorama of Racławice, which is on display in Wrocław. Theatre Although theatrical traditions in Poland date back to the Middle Ages, theatre in the proper sense of the word didn’t develop until the Renaissance period and initially followed the styles of major centres in France and Italy. By the 17th century the first original Polish plays were being performed on stage. In 1765 the first permanent theatre company was founded in Warsaw, and its later director, Wojciech Bogusławski, came to be known as the father of the national theatre. In the decades after WWII Polish theatre acquired an international reputation. Some of the highest international recognition was gained by the Teatr Laboratorium (Laboratory Theatre), which was created in 1965 and led by Jerzy Grotowski in Wrocław. This unique experimental theatre, remembered particularly for Apocalypsis cum Figuris, was dissolved in 1984, and Grotowski concentrated on conducting theatrical classes abroad until his death in 1999. Another remarkable international success was Tadeusz Kantor’s Cricot 2 Theatre of Kraków, formed in 1956. Unfortunately, his best creations, The Dead Class (Umarła Klasa) and Wielopole, Wielopole, may never be seen again; Kantor died in 1990 and the theatre was dissolved a few years later. A new museum, Cricoteka, has opened in Kraków to celebrate his life and work. Folk Arts Poland has long and rich traditions in folk arts and crafts, but there are significant regional distinctions. Folk culture is strongest in the mountains, especially in the Podhale at the foot of the Tatras, but other relatively small enclaves, such as Kurpie and Łowicz (both in Mazovia), help to keep traditions alive. Industrialisation and urbanisation have increasingly encroached on traditional customs. People no longer wear folk dress except for on special occasions, and the artefacts they make are mostly for sale as either tourist souvenirs or museum pieces. The country’s many open-air folk museums, called skansens, are the best places to see what is left. POST-WWII PAINTING From the end of WWII until 1955 the visual arts were dominated by socialist realism – canvases of tractors, landscapes, peasants and factories that became, officially at least, all the rage in those days. On a more positive note, at least from an artistic standpoint, this was also a time when poster art came to the fore, building on a tradition dating back to the turn of the century. One of the most influential artists was Tadeusz Trepkowski (1914–54), who produced his best posters after WWII. His works, and those by other poster artists, can be seen at Warsaw’s Poster Museum. From 1955 onwards, Poland’s painters began to experiment with a variety of forms, trends and techniques. Zdzisław Beksiński (1929–2005) is considered one of the country’s best contemporary painters; he created a mysterious and striking world of dreams in his art. A Scandinavian word referring to an open-air ethnographic museum, skansen aim to preserve traditional folk culture and architectur, in typical, mostly wooden, rural buildings (dwellings, barns, churches, mills) collected from the region. There are 35 in the country. SKANSEN 413 The Arts T heatre

A Varied Landscape Poland’s bumps and flat bits were largely forged during the last ice age, when the Scandinavian ice sheet crept south across the plains and receded some 10,000 years later. This left five identifiable landscape zones: the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, the vast central lowlands, the lake belt, the Baltic Sea in the north and the north-flowing rivers. Southern Mountains The southern mountains stretch from the Sudetes range in the southwest to the Tatras in the south and the Beskids in the southeast. The Sudetes are geologically ancient hills, their rounded peaks reaching their highest point at the summit of Śnieżka (1602m) in the Karkonosze range. Poland’s highest point is Mt Rysy (2499m) in the Tatras, a jagged, alpine range shared with Slovakia. Indeed, the hiking trails in Tatras are integrated with those on the other side of the ridge in Slovakia, meaning you can hike across the border and pick up the same trails on the other side. To the north of the Tatra lies the lower (but much larger) densely forested range of the Beskids, with its highest peak at Babia Góra (1725m). The southeastern extremity of Poland is occupied by the Bieszczady, part of the Carpathian arc and arguably the most picturesque and lonely procession of peaks in the country. Central Lowlands The central lowlands stretch from the far northeast all the way south to around 200km shy of the southern border. The undulating landscape of this, the largest of Poland’s regions, comprises the historic areas of Lower Silesia, Wielkopolska, Mazovia and Podlasie. Once upon a time, streams flowing south from melting glaciers deposited layers of sand and mud that helped produce some of the country’s most fertile soils. As a result, the central lowlands are largely farmland and Poland’s main grain-producing region. In some places, notably in Kampinos National Park to the west of Warsaw, fluvioglacial sand deposits have been blown by wind into sand dunes up to 30m high, creating some of the largest inland natural sand structures in Europe. Fuel for the 19th-century industrial revolution was extracted from the vast coal deposits of Upper Silesia in the western part of the lowlands. The close proximity of this relatively cheap fuel encouraged the eventual growth of giant steel mills in industrial plants in this part of the country, leaving a legacy of air and water pollution (p415) that the country is still coping with – though it is making big strides. Water, Water, Everywhere Not only does Poland enjoy a long stretch of the Baltic coast, it also has countless lakes and rivers, popular with yachtsmen, anglers, swimmers and divers, as well as thousands of species of flora and fauna. Landscape & Wildlife With primeval forest, wind-raked sand dunes, coastal lakes, beaches, reedy islands, caves, craters, a desert, a long chain of mountains and even a peninsula called Hel, it’s fair to say that Poland has one of Europe’s most diverse collections of ecosystems. Vital Stats Area: 312,685 sq km Countries bordered: seven Total length of border: 3582km Number of lakes: 9300 Highest mountain: Mt Rysy (2499m) Longest river: Vistula (1090km) Despite its abundance of lakes, Poland has lingering water problems, including pollution and lack of sewage treatment, though a recent European environmental study (conducted by the European Environmental Agency) said it had noticed improvements in recent years. 414

Poland’s Lakes The lake zone includes the regions of Pomerania, Warmia and Masuria. The latter contains most of Poland’s 9300 lakes – more than any other European country except Finland. The gently undulating plains and strings of post-glacial lakes were formed by sticky clay deposited by the retreating ice sheet. The lake region boasts the only remaining puszcza (primeval forest) in Europe, making Białowieża National Park and the wildlife inhabiting it one of the highlights of a visit to the country. Baltic Coast The sand-fringed Baltic coast stretches across northern Poland from Germany to Russia’s Kaliningrad enclave. The coastal plain that fringes the Baltic Sea was shaped by the rising water levels after the retreat of the Scandinavian ice sheet and is now characterised by swamps and sand dunes. These sand and gravel deposits form not only the beaches of Poland’s seaside resorts but also the shifting dunes of Słowiński National Park, the sand bars and gravel spits of Hel, and the Vistula Lagoon. Poland’s Rivers Polish rivers drain northwards into the Baltic Sea. The largest is the mighty 1090km-long Vistula (Wisła), originating in the Tatra mountains. Along with its right-bank tributaries – the Bug and the Narew – the Vistula is responsible for draining almost half of the country and is known as the ‘mother river’ of Poland, given its passage through both Kraków and Warsaw. The second-largest river, the Odra, and its major tributary, the Warta, drains the western third of Poland and forms part of the country’s western border. Rivers are highest when the snow and ice dams melt in spring and are prone to flooding during the heavy rains of July. Wildlife Wildlife-spotters certainly have a lot to look forward to in Poland. Grazing bison in Białowieża National Park and storks nesting atop telegraph POLISH ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES Poland has made important strides in environmental protection in recent years but continues to cope with legacy issues, including the massive deforestation that occurred during World War II and the rapid build-up of industrial output – particularly in Upper Silesia – during the communist period. This improvement can be seen particularly with respect to air pollution. A 2014 study by the European Environmental Agency (EEA) concluded that while the Polish economy had grown every year for the past two decades, this had not led to any measurable increase in emissions. In some cases (with sulphur dioxide, for example), the report said a reduction was observed. This was seen as good news. As recently as 1992, Poland was the world’s 12th-highest per capita polluter, with soot and airborne pollutants in the Katowice region alone well above acceptable health norms. Part of the answer has been de-industrialisation. The old, massive steel works at Nowa Huta, near Kraków, for example, now operate at a fraction of what they did in the 1960s and ’70s. Part of the solution, as well, has been to adopt modern scrubbing technology. The EEA report also said Poland had made noticeable progress in protecting surface and groundwater as well. Municipal waste discharge fell by 12% since 2000, while the percentage of the general population with access to water-treatment facilities grew to 70 percent. In managing agriculture runoff, the report said chemicals like nitrogen and phosphorus that flow into rivers and eventually into the Baltic Sea had decreased. Nevertheless, it said surface water quality was still lacking in some areas. The biggest challenges, according to the EEA, remain more efficient use of material and energy resources in order to achieve economic sustainability. Some 52% of Polish territory is agricultural; almost 30% is forested. Josepha Contoski’s prize-winning children’s book Bocheck in Poland is a beautifully rendered story of the relationship between white storks and Polish people. 415 Landscape & Wildlife Wildlif e

poles are easy to find; brown bears and lynx may be harder to track down. Poland’s varied landscapes also provide habitats for a vast array of plants. Animals There is a rich bounty of zoological and ornithological treasure in Poland. Its diverse landscapes provide habitats for mammal species such as wild boar, red deer, elk and lynx in the far northeast, and brown bears and wildcats in the mountain forests of the south. Rare bird species found in Poland include thrush nightingales, golden eagles, white-backed and three-toed woodpeckers, and hazel grouses, among 200 other species of nesting birds. Wolves Grey wolves are the largest members of the canine family and were once a common feature of the Polish landscape. In the days of old, wolf hunting was a favourite pastime of Russian tsars. This, and diminishing habitats, drove their numbers down until wolves had all but disappeared in the 1990s. After specialised legislation to protect them was passed in 1998, recent wolf counts have revealed that the numbers have once again begun to climb. Horses Poles and horses go way back. Poland has a long tradition of breeding Arabian horses and the Polish plains were once home to wild horses. Several species of wild horse have been preserved in zoos, including the tarpan, which is extinct out of captivity. Luckily, Polish farmers used to crossbreed tarpans with their domestic horses and the small Polish konik horse is the result of this mix, keeping the tarpan genes alive. Konik horses are now being used to breed the tarpan back. The hucul pony is a direct descendant of the tarpan living in the Carpathians. Bird Life The diverse topography of Poland is is home to diverse range of bird species. The vast areas of lake, marsh and reed beds along the Baltic coast, as well as the swampy basins of the Narew and Biebrza Rivers, support many species of waterfowl and are also visited by huge flocks of migrating geese, ducks and waders in spring and autumn. A small community of cormorants lives in the Masurian lakes. Storks, which arrive from Africa in spring to build their nests on the roofs and chimneys of houses in the countryside, are a much-loved part of the rural scene. The expression ‘every fourth stork is Polish’ is based on the fact that Poland welcomes around one-quarter of Europe’s 325,000 white storks each year, most of which make their summer homes in Masuria and Podlasie in the northeast. The orzeł (eagle) is the national symbol of Poland and was adopted as a royal emblem in the 12th century. Several species can be seen, mostly in the southern mountains, including the golden eagle and short-toed eagle, as well as the rare booted eagle, greater spotted eagle and lesser spotted eagle. The white-tailed eagle, supposedly the inspiration for the national emblem, lives in national parks along the Baltic coast. Plant Life Many visitors will probably be surprised to hear that Poland contains the only surviving fragment of original forest that once covered much of prehistoric Europe. This old-growth forest of Białowieża National Park is still home to majestic five-centuries-old oak trees and a range of flora that is, quite literally, ancient. The most common plant species in Poland is the pine, which covers 70% of the total forested area, but the biological diversity and ecological Mt Rysy is reputed to have been climbed by Nobel laureate Marie Curie and Russian revolutionary Lenin (on separate occasions). A red hammer and sickle symbol is painted on a rock where the latter is believed to have rested. In addition to their babydelivery service, bociany (storks) are also known in Poland to bring good luck. Poles will often place wagon wheels and other potential nesting foundations on their roofs to attract the white stork. Telecommunications companies even go to lengths to ensure that their structures are stork-friendly. STORKS 416Landscape & Wildlife Wildlif e

resilience of forests are increasing thanks to the proliferation of deciduous species such as oak, beech, birch, rowan and linden. The forest undergrowth hosts countless moss and fungus species, many of the latter suitable for rich sauces or to be fried in breadcrumbs. In the highest mountain regions, coniferous forests of dwarf mountain pines are capable of resisting harsher climates, while the lowlands and highlands are hospitable for dry-ground forests and marsh forests. Distinctly Polish plants include the Polish larch (Larix polonica) and the birch (Betula oycoviensis) in the Ojców region. Conservation Areas in Poland Currently 30% of Poland’s land is forest, the majority of which is administered by the state. Around 23% of the country is under some sort of protection as a national park, landscape park or other type of conservation area. Entry into national parks, as well as some regional and landscape parks, normally requires an admission fee, payable at kiosks located near trailheads. Fees vary by park but typically range from 5zł to 10zł per day. National Parks There are 23 parki narodowe (national parks) in Poland, covering about 3200 sq km – about 1% of the country’s surface area. Outside of a group of six in the Carpathian Mountains, they are distributed fairly evenly and therefore exhibit the full range of landscapes, flora and fauna the country possesses. Poland’s oldest national park, Białowieża, was established in 1932. Landscape Parks In addition to Poland’s national parks, the smaller and more numerous parki krajobrazowe (landscape parks) also play a key role in conservation efforts. As well as their aesthetic contribution, landscape parks are often of key historic and cultural value. Reserves Poland has a number of rezerwaty (protected reserves), usually small areas containing a particular natural feature such as a cluster of old trees, a lake with valuable flora or an interesting rock formation. Nine biosphere reserves have been recognised by Unesco for their innovative approach to sustaining various ecological elements. BISON: BACK FROM THE BRINK The European bison (Bison bonasus, żubr in Polish) is the largest European mammal, its weight occasionally exceeding 1000kg. These large cattle, which can live for as long as 25 years, look pretty clumsy but can move at 50km/h when they need to. Bison were once found all over the continent, but the increasing exploitation of forests in Western Europe pushed them eastwards. In the 19th century, the last few hundred bison lived in freedom in the Białowieża Forest. In 1916 there were still 150 animals but three years later they were gone, hunted to extinction. At that time only about 50 bison survived in zoos across the world. It was in Białowieża that an attempt to prevent the extinction of the bison began in 1929, by bringing several animals from zoos and breeding them in their natural habitat. The result is that today there a few hundred bison living in freedom in the Białowieża Forest alone and several hundred more have been sent to a dozen other places in Poland. Many bison from Białowieża have been distributed among European zoos and forests, and their total current population is estimated at about 2500. Check out the English-language website www. wildpoland.com for heaps of information on wildlife spotting in Poland’s national parks. Of the 110 species of mammal and 424 species of bird known to inhabit Poland, 12 of each are considered threatened. 417 Landscape & Wildlife Conservat ion Areas in Pol and

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DIRECTORY A–Z . . . 420 Accommodation . . . . . . . . 420 Business Hours . . . . . . . . 422 Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 422 Customs Regulations . . . . . . . . . . . . 423 Discount Cards . . . . . . . . . 423 Electricity . . . . . . . . . . . . . 423 Embassies & Consulates . . . . . . . . . . . 423 Food . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 424 Gay & Lesbian Travellers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 424 Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 424 Internet Access . . . . . . . . . 424 Legal Matters . . . . . . . . . . 424 Maps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 424 Money . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 425 Postal Services . . . . . . . . . 425 Public Holidays . . . . . . . . . 426 Telephone Services . . . . . 426 Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 426 Toilets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 427 Tourist Information . . . . . . . . . . . . 427 Travellers with Disabilities . . . . . . . . 427 Visas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 427 Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 427 TRANSPORT . . . . . . 428 GETTING THERE & AWAY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 428 Entering the Country . . . . 428 Air . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 428 Land . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 428 Sea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 430 GETTING AROUND . . . . . . 430 Air . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 430 Bicycle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 430 Boat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 431 Bus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 431 Car & Motorcycle . . . . . . . 432 Hitching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 433 Local Transport . . . . . . . . . 433 Tours . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 434 Train . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 437 LANGUAGE . . . . . . . 437 GLOSSARY . . . . . . . . . . . . . 442 Survival Guide

420 Accommodation Poland has a wide choice of accommodation options to suit most budgets, including hotels, pensions and guesthouses, hostels, apartment rentals and camping grounds. Prices across all of these categories have increased in recent years, but are still generally lower than comparable facilities in Western Europe. ¨ Warsaw is the most expensive place to stay, followed by Kraków, Gdańsk and Wrocław. The further away from the big cities you go, the cheaper accommodation gets. ¨ Watch for seasonal fluctuations on rates. Summer resorts, particularly on the Baltic coast or in the mountains, have higher prices in July and August. Ski centres increase prices in winter, particularly over the Christmas and New Year holidays. ¨ Hotels in large cities often offer discounts on the weekend. Similarly, resort properties may offer lower room rates during the week. ¨ Prices normally include breakfast but not parking, which can range from 10zł a night in smaller properties to 100zł a night for garaged parking in Warsaw and Kraków. ¨ Room rates include VAT and should be the final price you pay. A small number of municipalities levy a ‘tourist tax’ on lodging, but this seldom amounts to more than 1zł or 2zł a night per room. ¨ Prices are quoted in złoty, though some larger hotels geared to foreign clients may also quote rates in euros for guests’ convenience. All hotels accept złoty as payment. ¨ The most popular lodging website for Polish hotels is www.booking.com. Nearly all of the more popular hotels, as well as pensions and even hostels, will have a listing on the site. Types of Rooms Polish hotels offer a standard mix of rooms, including singles, doubles, and apartments or suites. Often hotels will also have rooms for three or four people. Hotels normally display a sign at the reception desk, listing the types of rooms and prices. Look for the following: single room pokój 1-osobowy double room pokój 2-osobowy with bathroom z łazienką without bathroom bez łazienki basin in room only z umywalką ¨ Prices for double rooms may vary depending on whether the room offers twin beds or one full-sized bed, with the latter generally more expensive. ¨ Some properties do not have dedicated single rooms, but may offer a double at a reduced rate. It never hurts to ask. Hotels Hotels account for the majority of accommodation Directory A–Z SLEEPING PRICE RANGES Accommodation listings are grouped by price then ordered by preference. Prices listed are for an average double room in high season, with private bathroom and including breakfast. € less than 150zł €€ 150-400zł €€€ more than 400zł

Directory A–Z Accommodation 421 options in Poland, encompassing a variety of old and new places, ranging from basic to ultra-plush. At the top end are various international and Polish hotel chains that offer high-standard accommodation to a mostly business-oriented clientele, usually at prices aimed at corporate expense accounts. Going down the chain, there are plenty of smaller, privately owned hotels that cater to the midrange market. Many are very nice and represent excellent value, but it always pays to check the room before accepting an offer. Rates vary, but expect to pay around 160zł for a single and from 190zł for a double room. Pensions Pensjonaty (pensions) are small, privately run guesthouses that provide breakfast and occasionally half or full board. By and large, these are clean, comfortable and good value. While prices vary depending on the location and comfort, they are usually cheaper than comparable hotels. Singles/doubles typically run around 130/170zł. We’re big fans of Polish pensions. Our only gripe is that breakfast buffets can sometimes lack imagination (mostly simple ham and cheese plates) and they often have only instant coffee. Hostels Polish hostels include both the newer breed of privately owned hostels and the older, publicly run or municipal hostels. There are big differences. There are also simple, rustic mountain lodges operated by PTTK (Polish Tourist & Sightseeing Association). PRIVATE HOSTELS You will usually only find these in cities like Kraków, Warsaw, Zakopane, Wrocław, Poznań and Łódź. Standards are often higher than in basic youth hostels and prices are roughly the same. They typically offer shared dorm-room accommodation, with higher prices charged for rooms with fewer bunks. ¨ Private hostels usually provide group kitchens, laundry facilities and sometimes a lounge and bar. ¨ Beds normally come with sheets included, and rooms should have lockers to guard your things when you’re not around. ¨ Free wi-fi and computers are often available to surf the net, and friendly multilingual staff can help answer questions. ¨ Although marketed toward backpackers, there are no age restrictions or curfews. PUBLIC HOSTELS Poland has around 600 schroniska młodzieżowe (youth hostels), which are operated by the Polskie Towarzystwo Schronisk Młodzieżowych (PTSM; Polish Youth Hostel Association; www. ptsm.org.pl), a member of Hostelling International (HI). Of these, around 20% are open year-round; the rest are open in July and August only. ¨ Hostels are normally marked with a sign featuring a green triangle with the PTSM logo inside, placed over the entrance. ¨ Curfew is normally 10pm, and almost all hostels are closed between 10am and 5pm. ¨ Facilities and conditions of public hostels differ markedly. Some hostels are in poor shape, while others are pleasant and modern. ¨ Seasonal hostels are normally located in schools while pupils are on holidays, and conditions are much more basic, with some lacking showers, kitchens and hot water. Bed sheets may not be available, so bring your own. ¨ Youth hostels are open to all, members and nonmembers alike, and there is no age limit. PTTK & MOUNTAIN HOSTELS The Polskie Towarzystwo Turystyczno-Krajoznawcze (PTTK; Polish Tourist & Sightseeing Association; www.pttk. pl) has built up a network of its own hostels, called dom turysty or dom wycieczkowy. They are aimed at budget travellers, providing basic accommodation for hikers and backpackers. Single rooms are a rarity, but you’ll always have a choice of three- and four-bed rooms, usually with shared facilities, where you can often rent just one bed (not the whole room) for around 35zł to 45zł. PTTK also runs a network of schroniska górskie (mountain hostels). Conditions are simple, but prices are low and hot meals are usually available. The more isolated mountain hostels will usually try to take in all-comers, regardless of how crowded they get, which means that in high summer beds can be scarce. Many hostels are open all year, though it’s best to check at the nearest regional PTTK office before setting off. BOOK YOUR STAY ONLINE For more accommodation reviews by Lonely Planet authors, check out http://lonelyplanet.com/hotels/. You’ll find independent reviews, as well as recommendations on the best places to stay. Best of all, you can book online.

Directory A–Z B usiness Hours 422 Private Rooms Many private homes offer rooms to let for the night. These are particularly prevalent in mountain areas or places that draw large amounts of visitors. Look for signs reading ‘pokoje’, ‘noclegi’ or ‘zimmer frei’ in the window. Private rooms are often a lottery: you don’t know what sort of room you’ll get or who your hosts will be. It’s therefore a good idea to take the room for a night or two and then extend if you decide to stay longer. ¨ Private rooms may or may not offer their own bathrooms. ¨ Breakfast and other meals may be available but not included in the basic room rate. It’s best to sort this out at the beginning before taking the room. ¨ Hosts are unlikely to speak English well, but will be used to accommodating guests, so communication is usually not a problem. ¨ Expect to pay 40zł for singles and from 70zł to 100zł for doubles, depending on the standard. Short-Term Apartment Rental A short-term apartment rental can make sense for longer stays (three days or more) in big cities such as Warsaw and Kraków. They range from simple studios to two-bedroom luxury establishments, and are often centrally located. ¨ Expect apartments to be fully equipped with towels and bed sheets. Better places may have a washing machine as well as kitchen appliances. ¨ Note payment is usually made in cash upfront or by credit card transfer over the internet. It’s always a good idea to look at the property first before surrendering any money. ¨ Peer-to-peer rental sites have become popular in recent years, and large cities, including Warsaw and Kraków, now have dozens of private apartments listed on these sites. Camping Poland has more than 500 camping and bivouac sites registered at the Polish Federation of Camping & Caravanning (%22 810 6050; www.pfcc.eu). The sites are distributed throughout the country and can be found in all the major cities (usually on the outskirts), in many towns and in the countryside. About 40% of registered sites are camping grounds with full facilities, including lighting, electricity, running water, showers, kitchen and caravan pitches. The remaining 60% are bivouac sites, the equivalent of very basic camp sites, usually equipped with toilets and not much else. ¨ Many places also have wooden cabins for rent, which are similar to very basic hotel rooms. ¨ Most camping grounds are open from May to September, but some run only from June to August. ¨ Fees are usually charged per tent site, plus an extra fee per person and per car. Some camping grounds levy an additional fee for electricity use. Business Hours Most places adhere to the following hours. Shopping centres generally have longer hours and are open from 9am to 8pm on Saturday and Sunday. Museums are usually closed on Mondays, and have shorter hours outside of the high season. Banks 9am-4pm Mon-Fri, 9am-1pm Sat (varies) Offices 9am-5pm Mon-Fri, 9am-1pm Sat (varies) Post Offices 8am-7pm Mon-Fri, 8am-1pm Sat (cities) Restaurants 11am-10pm daily Shops 8am-6pm Mon-Fri, 10am-2pm Sat Children Travelling with children in Poland doesn’t create any specific problems. Children PRACTICALITIES ¨ Newspapers & Magazines Catch up on Polish current affairs at the Warsaw Voice website (www.warsawvoice. pl). Foreign newspapers can be found at Empik stores, bookshops and newsstands in the lobbies of upmarket hotels. ¨ Radio The state-run Polskie Radio is the main radio broadcaster, operating on AM and FM in every corner of the country; all programs are in Polish. ¨ Television Poland has two state-owned, countrywide TV channels: TVP1 and TVP2, the latter of which is more educational and culture focused. There are also several private channels, including the countrywide PolSat. ¨ Smoking Banned in all public indoor spaces, including bars and restaurants. While a few establishments defy the ban, the vast majority have complied. Most hotels are also entirely smoke-free. ¨ Weights & Measures Poland uses the metric system.

Directory A–Z Customs Regul ations 423 enjoy privileges on local transport, with accommodation and with entertainment; age limits for particular freebies or discounts vary from place to place, but are not often rigidly enforced. Basic supplies for younger children are readily available in cities. For general suggestions on how to make a family trip easier, pick up a copy of Lonely Planet’s Travel with Children. Customs Regulations ¨ Travellers arriving from non-EU countries can bring in up to 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars or 250g of pipe tobacco, up to 2L of nonsparkling wine, and up to 1L of spirits. ¨ Travellers arriving from an EU member state can import up to 800 cigarettes, 200 cigars or 1kg of pipe tobacco, and up to 110L of beer, 90L of wine and 10L of spirits. This is seldom checked. ¨ The export of items manufactured before 9 May 1945 is prohibited without an export permit (pozwolenie eksportowe). Official antique dealers may offer to help you out with the paperwork, but the procedure is bureaucratic and time-consuming. Discount Cards Several cities and regions offer short-term ‘tourist’ cards. These usually provide discounted or free admission to museums, galleries and cultural institutions. Some also provide free public transport. Cards are normally available at tourist information offices and other sales points. Check online for details. Popular discount cards include the Warsaw Pass (www.warsawpass.com), Kraków Card (www.krakow card.com) and Tri-City Tourist Card (www.gdansk4u. pl) for use in Gdańsk and Sopot. Hostel Cards A HI membership card can get you a 10% to 25% discount on youth-hostel prices, though some hostels don’t give discounts to foreigners. Bring the card with you, or get one issued in Poland at the provincial branch offices of the PTSM in the main cities. Go to www.ptsm.org.pl to find an office. Student Cards Students receive great discounts in Poland, including price reductions on museum entries, as well as on some public transport. To qualify you need to be under the age of 26 and have a valid International Student Identity Card (ISIC). The website www.isic.pl has a list of hostels and establishments that honour the ISIC card. Purchase cards online or at Almatur (www.almatur.com. pl), which has offices in major cities. Electricity Embassies & Consulates The website http://embassyfinder.com maintains an upto-date list of consulates and embassies around the world. Embassies are located in Warsaw, while several countries maintain consulates in other cities in Poland. Australian Embassy (%22 521 3444; www.poland. embassy.gov.au; ul Nowogrodzka 11) Belarusian Embassy (%22 742 0990; www.poland. mfa.gov.by; ul Wiertnicza 58) Canadian Embassy (%22 584 3100; http://poland. gc.ca; ul Matejki 1/5) French Embassy (%22 529 3000; www.ambafrance-pl. org; ul Piękna 1) German Embassy (%22 584 1700; www.warschau. diplo.de; ul Jazdów 12) Irish Embassy (%22 564 2200; www.dfa.ie/irishembassy/poland; ul Mysia 5) Japanese Embassy (%22 696 5000; www.pl.emb-japan. go.jp; ul Szwoleżerów 8) 230V/50Hz 230V/50Hz

Directory A–Z Food 424 New Zealand Embassy (%22 521 0500; www. nzembassy.com/poland; al Ujazdowskie 51) Russian Embassy (%22 621 5575; www.poland.mid.ru; ul Belwederska 49) UK Embassy (%22 311 0000; www.gov.uk/ government/world/poland; ul Kawalerii 12) Ukrainian Embassy (%22 629-3446; http://poland.mfa. gov.ua; Al Szucha 7) US Embassy (%22 504 2000; http://poland. usembassy.gov; Al Ujazdowskie 29/31) Food For an in-depth discussion of Polish cuisine, see Eat & Drink Like a Local (p37). Gay & Lesbian Travellers Homosexuality is legal in Poland but not openly tolerated. Polish society is conservative and for the most part remains hostile towards the LGBTQ community. The Polish gay and lesbian scene is fairly discreet; Warsaw and Kraków are the best places to find bars, clubs and gay-friendly accommodation, and Sopot is noted as gay-friendly compared to the rest of Poland. The best sources of information for Poland’s scene are the somewhat dated http://warsaw. gayguide.net and www.queer. pl (in Polish). Insurance Insurance can cover you for medical expenses, theft or loss, and also for cancellation of, or delays in, any of your travel arrangements. There are a variety of policies and your travel agent can provide recommendations. Worldwide travel insurance is available at www. lonelyplanet.com/bookings. You can buy, extend and claim online anytime – even if you’re already on the road. Always read the small print of a policy carefully and make sure the policy includes health care and medication in Poland. Some policies specifically exclude ‘dangerous activities’ such as scuba diving, motorcycling, skiing, mountaineering and even trekking. Internet Access Wi-Fi Poland is well wired, and the majority of hotels, above a basic pension, offer some form of internet access (normally wi-fi) for you to log on with your own laptop, smartphone or tablet. Additionally, many bars, cafes and restaurants, including McDonald’s and Costa Coffee outlets nationwide, offer free wi-fi for customers, though the strength and reliability of the signal can vary considerably. Finding a Computer Locating a computer for a few minutes of web-surfing has become more problematic. Many hotels seem to be dropping the practice of making a computer terminal available for guests, although some still do, including many private hostels. Larger hotels will sometimes have a business centre for guests to use. The situation with internet cafes is much the same. As more and more Poles purchase their own computers, the number of internet cafes has dropped. Still, there are some around (and we’ve done our best to find them). Other alternatives for finding a computer include tourist information offices, which usually have a terminal on hand for a few minutes of gratis surfing, and local libraries. Legal Matters Foreigners in Poland, as elsewhere, are subject to the laws of the host country. While your embassy or consulate is the best stop in any emergency, bear in mind that there are some things it can’t do for you, like getting local laws or regulations waived because you’re a foreigner, investigating a crime, providing legal advice or representation in civil or criminal cases, getting you out of jail and lending you money. A consul can, however, issue emergency passports, contact relatives and friends, advise on how to transfer funds, provide lists of reliable local doctors, lawyers and interpreters, and visit you if you’ve been arrested or jailed. Maps Poland produces good quality, inexpensive maps that can be purchased at tourist information offices, bookstores and many large petrol stations. Local mapmakers Demart and Compass both produce EATING PRICE RANGES The following price ranges refer to the cost of an average main-course item. € less than 20zł €€ 20-40zł €€€ more than 40zł

Directory A–Z Mone y 425 reliable city and hiking maps. Prices range from 14zł to 20zł per map. You probably won’t need to buy special maps for cities and tourist hot spots, but they will come in handy for smaller cities and especially on hiking and biking trips. Stock up on maps in big cities as you go along, since they may not be available locally. Don’t forget to bring along your satellite navigation system if you are driving or plan on renting a car. Polish navigation maps are usually included in most companies’ European maps packages. Money The Polish currency is the złoty, abbreviated to zł and pronounced zwo-ti. It is divided into 100 groszy, which are abbreviated to gr. Banknotes come in denominations of 10zł, 20zł, 50zł, 100zł and 200zł, and coins in 1gr, 2gr, 5gr, 10gr, 20gr and 50gr, and 1zł, 2zł and 5zł. It’s a stable currency that has held its own with respect to the euro and US dollar in recent years. Keep some smalldenomination notes and coins for shops, cafes and restaurants – getting change for the 100zł notes that ATMs often spit out can be a problem. ATMs ATMs are ubiquitous in cities and towns, and even the smallest hamlet is likely to have at least one. The majority accept Visa and MasterCard. ¨ Polish ATMs require a fourdigit PIN code. ¨ Inform your bank before travelling abroad to avoid having your card blocked by bank security when overseas transactions start appearing on your account. ¨ You’ll often be given the choice to convert your ATM transaction to your home currency on the spot, but you’ll get a better rate if you decline the option and choose ‘Polish złoty’. Cash Change money at banks or kantors (private currencyexchange offices). Find these in town centres as well as travel agencies, train stations, post offices and department stores. Rates vary, so it’s best to shop around. ¨ Kantors are usually open between 9am and 6pm on weekdays and to 2pm on Saturday, but some open longer and a few stay open 24 hours. ¨ Kantors usually exchange cash only against major world currencies and neighbouring countries’ currencies. The most common and easily changed are US dollars, euros and UK pounds. ¨ There’s usually no commission on transactions: the rate you get is what is written on the board (every kantor has a board displaying its exchange rates). Credit Cards Visa and MasterCard are widely accepted for goods and services. The only time you may experience a problem is at small establishments or for a very small transaction. American Express cards are typically accepted at larger hotels and restaurants, though they are not as widely recognised as other cards. Credit cards can also be used to get cash advances. International Transfers Have money sent to you through the Western Union (www.westernunion.com) money-transfer service, which is generally quick and reliable, though fees can add up. Western Union outlets can be found in all Polish cities and most large towns. Taxes Poland’s VAT is calculated at various rates depending on the product. The top rate is 23%. The tax is normally included in the prices of goods and services as marked. Tipping ¨ In restaurants, tip 10% of the bill to reward good service. Leave the tip in the pouch the bill is delivered in or hand the money directly to the server. ¨ Tip hairdressers and other personal services 10% of the total. ¨ Taxis drivers won’t expect a tip, but it’s fine to round the fare up to the nearest 5zł or 10zł increment for good service. ¨ Tipping in hotels is essentially restricted to the top-end establishments, which usually have decent room service staff and porters, who all expect to be tipped. Postal Services Postal services are provided by Poczta Polska (www. poczta-polska.pl). In large cities there will be a dozen or more post offices, of which the poczta główna (main post office) will have the widest range of facilities, including (sometimes) poste restante, fax and currency exchange. ¨ Postal service is reliable. Letters and postcards sent by air take less than a week to reach a European destination and two weeks if sent anywhere else. ¨ A standard letter, including a postcard, up to 50g costs 5.20zł to mail within Europe and 5.20zł to the rest of the world. Have letters and packages weighed at the

Directory A–Z P ublic Holidays 426 post office to ensure proper postage. Public Holidays New Year’s Day 1 January Epiphany 6 January Easter Sunday March or April Easter Monday March or April State Holiday 1 May Constitution Day 3 May Pentecost Sunday Seventh Sunday after Easter Corpus Christi Ninth Thursday after Easter Assumption Day 15 August All Saints’ Day 1 November Independence Day 11 November Christmas 25 and 26 December Telephone Services Domestic & International Calls Poland has dropped its former system of using city or area codes, and all telephone numbers, landline and mobile, have nine digits. Landlines are written %12 345 6789, with the first two numbers corresponding to the former city code. Mobile phone numbers are written %123 456 789. To call abroad from Poland, dial the international access code (%00), then the country code, then the area code (minus any initial zero) and the number. To dial Poland from abroad, dial your country’s international access code, then %48 (Poland’s country code) and then the unique nine-digit local number. Mobile/Cell Phones Poland uses the GSM 900/1800 network, which is compatible with the rest of Europe and Australia but not always with the North American GSM or CDMA systems; check with your service provider. Most smartphones are multiband, meaning that they are compatible with a variety of international networks. Before bringing your own phone to Poland, check with your service provider to make sure it is compatible, and beware of calls being routed internationally (very expensive for a ‘local’ call). If you have a GSM multiband phone that you can unlock (check with your service provider), it is generally cheapest and easiest to buy a Polish prepaid SIM card. They sell for as little as 10zł and can be obtained relatively quickly and painlessly at any provider shop (GSM, Orange etc). No ID is required, and top-ups can be bought at phone shops, newspaper kiosks and even some ATMs. Even if your smartphone is not compatible or unlocked, it can still be used as a wi-fi device. To avoid any unwanted charges, simply switch your phone to ‘airplane’ mode on arrival, which blocks out calls and text messages, and then enable wi-fi. Also turn off your phone’s ‘data roaming’ setting to avoid unwanted roaming fees. Phonecards Public phones usually require a phonecard, which you can buy from post offices and newspaper kiosks. Orange/ TP cards cost 9/15/24zł for a 15-/30-/60-impuls (unit) card. A 60-impuls card is enough for a 10-minute call to the UK, or an eight-minute call to the USA. Alternatively, buy a calling card from a private telephone service provider, such as Telegrosik (www.telegrosik. pl), whose international rates are even cheaper. Time All of Poland lies within the same time zone, GMT/ UTC+1, which is the same as most of continental Europe. Polish local time is one hour SHIFTING BORDERS Poland is a member of the EU’s common border area, the Schengen zone, and frontier crossings to neighbouring EU countries, including Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Lithuania, no longer involve passports or visas. This situation does not apply for visiting Belarus, Ukraine or Russia’s Kaliningrad enclave. For Belarus, most travellers will need to secure a visa in advance from a Belarusian consulate. You’ll need a valid passport, photo and application. See the Belarusian foreign ministry website for details: www.mfa.gov.by. The situation for Ukraine and Kaliningrad is mixed. For Ukraine, citizens of the EU, USA and Canada do not need a visa for stays up to 90 days, but citizens of Australia and New Zealand (at the time of writing) need to get a visa in advance. Check the Ukrainian foreign ministry website (www.mfa.gov.ua) for details. Everyone needs a Russian visa to enter Kaliningrad, though citizens from the EU and a handful of other countries, such as Switzerland and Japan, can obtain short-term tourist visas at the border. These need to be arranged via local agencies. Travellers from other countries are best advised to check with the Russian embassy in their home capital.

Directory A–Z Toilets 427 ahead of London and six hours ahead of New York. Poland observes Daylight Saving Time (DST), and moves the clock forward one hour at 2am on the last Sunday in March, and back again at 3am on the last Sunday in October. Toilets ¨ Toilets are labelled ‘toaleta’ or ‘WC’. ¨ Men should look for ‘dla panów’ or ‘męski’, or a door marked by an upside-down triangle. ¨ Women should head for ‘dla pań’ or ‘damski’, or a door marked with a circle. ¨ Public toilets in Poland are few and far between and often not very clean. ¨ The fee for a public toilet is usually 1zł or 2zł, collected by a toilet attendant sitting at the door. Have small change ready. Tourist Information Poland’s official tourist information portal is www.poland. travel. It’s a trove of useful information, with a large English-language section on festivals and events, accommodation, and tips on what to see and do. On the ground, many towns have set up local tourist information offices that vary greatly in terms of usefullness and language ability, though at the very least they should be able to provide a free walking map of the city and practical advice on places to stay and eat. Travellers with Disabilities Poland is not well equipped for people with disabilities, even though there have been significant improvements in recent years. Wheelchair ramps are available at some upmarket hotels and restaurants, though public transport will be a challenge for anyone with mobility problems. Few offices, museums or banks provide special facilities for travellers with disabilities. There are several useful websites for travellers with disabilities. If your Polish is up to snuff, try www.niepelno sprawni.pl for up-to-date information on the current situation for people with disabilities in Poland. In the USA, travellers with disabilities can contact the Society for Accessible Travel & Hospitality (www.sath.org). In the UK, a useful contact is Disability Rights UK (www. disabilityrightsuk.org). Visas EU citizens do not need visas and can stay indefinitely. Citizens of the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Israel, Japan and many other countries can stay in Poland for up to 90 days without a visa. Other nationalities should check with their local Polish embassy or at the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs website (www.msz.gov.pl). Work Without a high standard of Polish, most people will need to arrange a job in Poland through an international company or be prepared to teach English. Teaching standards are high, however, and you’ll probably need a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) certificate to secure a job. The website International TEFL Academy (www. internationalteflacademy.com) offers handy tips for getting started.

428 GETTING THERE & AWAY Entering the Country Passport EU citizens need only a valid ID to travel in Poland. For everyone else, a passport is required. Note some airlines may deny travel to passengers whose passports are within six months of expiration from date of departure. Air Airports & Airlines Most international flights to Poland arrive at Warsaw Frédéric Chopin Airport (Lotnisko Chopina Warszawa; %22 650 4220; www.lotniskochopina.pl; ul Żwirki i Wigury 1). Warsaw has a second, smaller airport, Warsaw Modlin Airport (%801 80 1880; www. modlinairport.pl; ul Generała Wiktora Thommée 1a), 35km north of the city, which handles budget flights. Other international air gateways: Gdańsk Lech Wałęsa Airport (%801 066 808, 52 567 3531; www.airport.gdansk.pl; ul Słowackiego 210) Katowice Airport (Port Lotniczy Katowice; %32 392 7000; www.katowice-airport.com; ul Wolności 90, Pyrzowice; W) Kraków-John Paul II International Airport (KRK; %information 12 295 5800; www.krakowairport.pl; Kapitana Mieczysława Medweckiego 1, Balice; W) Łódż Airport (www.airport. lodz.pl) Lublin Airport (www.airport. lublin.pl) Rzeszów Airport (www. rzeszowairport.pl) Wrocław Airport (%71 358 1381; www.airport.wroclaw.pl; ul Graniczna 190) Poland’s national carrier is LOT (%801 703 703; www.lot. com). LOT offers regular service to Poland from throughout Europe, including from many capital cities. Outside Europe it has direct flights to/from New York, Chicago, Toronto, Tel Aviv and Beijing, among others. Many national and major world carriers operate regular flights to Poland, normally between their national capital and/or large cities and Warsaw. Additionally, several budget carriers service the Polish market. These usually service smaller airports such as Warsaw Modlin, Łódź, Katowice and Rzeszów, though some fly to Kraków as well. EasyJet (www.easyjet.com) GermanWings/Eurowings (www.germanwings.com) Jet2 (www.jet2.com) Norwegian (www.norwegian. com) Ryanair (www.ryanair.com) Wizz Air (www.wizzair.com) Land Border Crossings As a member of the EU, Poland has open borders (and plenty of rail and road crossings) on its western and southern frontiers with Germany, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Crossings with EU member Lithuania, on the northeastern end of the country, are also open. It’s a different story moving east and north into Ukraine, Belarus and Russia’s Kaliningrad enclave, which form part of the EU’s external border and may require visas and advance planning (p426). The following is a list of 24-hour border crossings for travelling to Poland’s non-EU neighbours: Belarusian border (south to north): Terespol, Kuźnica Russian (Kaliningrad) border (east to west): BezledyBagrationowsk, Gronowo Ukrainian border (south to north): Medyka, Hrebenne-Rawa Ruska, Dorohusk Belarus, Lithuania, Russia & Ukraine BUS ¨ Several coach operators link Warsaw with cities to the north and east of Poland. These include Eurolines Transport

Transport Land 429 (www.eurolines.pl), Ecolines (www.ecolines.net) and Polski Bus (www.polskibus.com). ¨ The best advice is to consult the online timetables for current routes and prices. Sample fares and travel times from Warsaw: Minsk From €30, 12 hours Vilnius From €10, eight hours Kyiv From €40, 14 hours ¨ Ecolines runs daily to Rīga, Latvia, from where it’s possible to transfer to coaches bound for St Petersburg (from €72, 24 hours). ¨ It’s also possible to cross the border into Belarus by bus from the eastern city of Białystok, though service tends to be erratic. As we were researching, five buses a day ran to Hrodno (€10, two hours) in Belarus. TRAIN Ukraine There are overnight trains each day, from Warsaw to Kyiv (from €90, 18 hours) and from Kraków to Lviv (from €50, 11 hours). Both trains have sleeping cars. Watch timetables carefully to make sure the train bypasses Belarus and does not require a Belarusian transit visa. Belarus & Russia There is also regular train service from Warsaw to Minsk (from €80, 10 hours). These trains are often sleeper-only, in which case a sleeping berth will be automatically included in your ticket price. The daily Polonez train passes through Brest and Minsk on its way to Moscow (from €130, 19 hours). Lithuania Rail connections to Lithuania have been hampered in recent years by construction work; at the time of writing, bus travel was the best way of reaching the country. In theory, there should be at least one daily train from Warsaw to Vilnius (from €25, nine hours) that runs via Suwałki (and bypasses Belarus). Czech Republic & Slovakia BUS ¨ Several bus companies link major Polish cities to Prague and other points in the Czech Republic. ¨ Polski Bus (www.polskibus. com) offers daily bus service between Warsaw (€25, 10 hours) and Prague via Wrocław (€20, five hours). The company also runs a daily service from Warsaw to Bratislava (€30, 10 hours). ¨ From Kraków, Tiger Express (www.tigerexpress. eu) minibus service runs to Prague (€25, six hours), as FROM WESTERN EUROPE TO POLAND BY LAND Bus Eurolines (www.eurolines.pl) operates an extensive network of bus routes all over Western Europe. Standards, reliability and comfort vary from bus to bus but on the whole are not bad. Most buses are from the modern generation, and come equipped with airconditioning, toilet facilities and a DVD player. As a rough guide only, average one-way fares and journey times between some Western European cities and Warsaw are as follows: TO FARE (€) TIME (HR) Amsterdam 70 21 Brussels 70 21 Cologne 60 20 Frankfurt 70 19 Hamburg 45 17 Munich 70 20 Paris 75 27 Rome 100 27 Train A number of German cities are linked by train (direct or indirect) with major Polish cities. Direct connections with Warsaw include Berlin, Cologne, Dresden and Leipzig. There are also direct trains between Berlin and Kraków (from €60, eight to 10 hours). The Warsaw–Berlin route (via Frankfurt/Oder and Poznań; from €60, six hours) is serviced by several trains a day. There are no direct trains from Brussels (Bruxelles-Nord) to Warsaw (from €100, 13½ hours); if making this trip the quickest route is via Cologne. From Paris to Warsaw (€100, 17 hours), a change is often required in Cologne.

Transport S e a 430 well as to Slovak cities such as Košice (€30, six hours). ¨ From Zakopane, regional bus company Strama (www. strama.eu) runs regular coach transport to Poprad, Slovakia (€5, two hours). TRAIN ¨ There are daily express trains from Warsaw to Prague (€50, eight hours) and Bratislava (€90, eight hours). ¨ Service between Prague and Kraków (€40, eight hours) normally requires a change in Katowice. UK BUS Eurolines (www.eurolines.pl) operates between London and major Polish cities, including Warsaw (one way about €90, 26½ hours). The frequency of the service varies depending on the season. Obtain information and buy tickets from the website or any local travel agency. TRAIN You can travel from London to Warsaw via Brussels (20 hours). The normal 2nd-class, one-way fare is |around €150. Sea Ferry services connect Poland’s Baltic-coast ports of Gdańsk, Gdynia and Świnoujście to destinations in Scandinavia. Polferries (%801 003 171; www.polferries.pl) Operates car ferries from Gdańsk Nowy Port to Nynäshamn in Sweden (adult/ concession Skr680/580, 19 hours, up to four times weekly). Information, bookings and tickets can be obtained online or from travel agents. Stena Line (%58 660 9200; www.stenaline.pl) Operates ferries to/from Karlskrona, Sweden (adult 165zł to 195zł, concession 140zł to 165zł, 10½ to 12 hours, two or three daily). Services depart from a ferry terminal 5km northwest of central Gdynia. Obtain information and buy tickets online. Unity Line (%913 595 600; www.unityline.pl) Runs daily ferries from the northwestern port of Świnoujście to Ystad, Sweden (adult 195/345zł one way/return, concession 150/276zł one way/ return, seven hours). Information and tickets are available online. GETTING AROUND Air LOT (%801 703 703; www. lot.com) operates a comprehensive network of domestic routes. There are regular flights between Warsaw and Gdańsk, Katowice, Kraków, Poznań, Rzeszów, Szczecin and Wrocław. Many flights between regional cities travel via Warsaw and connections aren’t always convenient. The regular one-way fare on any of the direct flights to/from Warsaw starts at around 150zł and can reach up to 400zł and higher. Tickets can be booked and bought at any LOT office, online through the LOT website, or from travel agencies. There’s no departure tax on domestic flights. Bicycle Poland has great potential as a place to tour by bicycle – most of the country is flat and you can throw your bike on a train to cover long distances quickly. Camping equipment isn’t essential, as hotels and hostels are usually no more than a day’s ride apart, although carrying your own camping gear will give you more flexibility. Cycling shops and repair centres are popping up in large cities, and in some of the major tourist resorts. Likewise, the number of shops offering bike rentals is on the increase; you’ll be able to hire a bike in most major cities. The going rate for rentals is about 8/30zł per hour/day. Road Conditions ¨ Major roads carry heavy traffic and are best avoided. Instead, plan your route along minor roads, which are usually much less crowded and in reasonable shape. ¨ Stock up on detailed hiking maps, which normally show bike trails as well as walking trails. ¨ Some drivers hug the side of the road to give cars and trucks more room to overtake, passing perilously close to cyclists. Note that in Poland cyclists are not allowed to ride two abreast. ¨ Cities are often not the most pleasant places to cycle, though many cities now have dedicated cycle paths and more are planned for the future. The main problem is drivers who often don’t have much regard for two-wheeled travellers. Taking Your Bike on the Train Many – but not all – trains allow you to transport bikes. ¨ When buying your ticket at the station, inform the ticket seller you have a bike and they will let you know whether it’s allowed on board. Online timetables usually note whether bikes are permitted. ¨ Bikes require a separate ticket, ranging in price from 7zł to 10zł, depending on the type of train. ¨ Many trains have special carriages equipped to carry bicycles and these will be marked. Other times you’ll have to stow the bike in a baggage car. If the train has no baggage car, bikes are only permitted in the first and last carriages of the train. If you have to stow your bike there, try to sit near it and keep it out of the way of other passengers.

Transport Boat 431 ¨ Bikes cannot be taken on sleeping cars. Security ¨ Poland is famous for bike theft. Always firmly lock your bike to a stationary object and try not to leave the bike unattended for too long. ¨ Many hotels have secure luggage rooms, which are normally fine for overnight storage; if in doubt, take your bike with you into your room. ¨ Trains pose particular risk of theft. If you have to leave your bike in a baggage car, try to sit near the car and check on your bike periodically. Lock your bike to a fixed part of the rail car if possible. Boat Poland has a long coastline and lots of rivers and canals, but passenger-boat services are limited and operate only in summer. There are no regular boats running along the main rivers or along the coast. ¨ Several cities, including Szczecin, Gdańsk, Toruń, Poznań, Wrocław and Kraków, have local river cruises during the summer, and a few coastal ports (Kołobrzeg and Gdańsk) offer sea excursions. There are also trips out of Elbląg to Frombork and Krynica Morska. ¨ Tourist boats are available in the Augustów area, where they ply part of the Augustów Canal. Bus Poland has a comprehensive bus network (far greater than the rail network) covering nearly every town and village accessible by road. Buses are often more convenient than trains over short distances, and occasionally over longer ones, when, for instance, the train route involves a long detour. The frequency of service varies greatly: on the main routes there may be a bus leaving every quarter of an hour or so, whereas some small remote villages may get only one bus a day. Ticket prices also vary due to fierce competition between bus companies, so shop around. Costs Approximate fares for intercity bus journeys are as follows: DISTANCE (KM) FARE (ZŁ) 20 6-8 40 10-14 60 14-16 80 16-18 100 20-25 150 25-30 200 30-35 250 40-45 300 45-50 Note: while prices listed were accurate at the time of research, don’t be surprised to POLISH BUS COMPANIES Most of Poland’s bus transport is operated by the former state bus company, Państwowa Komunikacja Samochodowa (PKS), although deregulation of the bus system has made room for dozens of private operators. What this means for travellers is a broader range of options and frequent promotions. ‘PKS’ can be a good code word when seeking directions to bus stations – it’s now a term for buses in general. You can find details of PKS services online at its various websites, which mostly take the form of www.pks.warszawa.pl, www.pks.krakow.pl etc. Just insert the city or town you will depart from before ‘.pl’ in the web address. If the site doesn’t exist, chances are the link will redirect to a local bus company. Most cities have a main bus station (dworzec autobusowy PKS) that’s often located conveniently close to the train station to allow for easy transfers. Bus stations usually have only basic facilities (no left-luggage service or even a place for coffee), but most do have some sort of information counter or at least a posted timetable. PKS has many private competitors, both locally and on the national scene. The main nationwide competitor is Polski Bus (www.polskibus.com), which runs handy long-haul services between major cities using coaches that are modern and comfortable. It has an easy-to-use English-language timetable. Another reliable competitor – also with a good online timetable and nationwide network – is Warsaw-based PKS Polonus (www. pkspolonus.pl). Minibuses are generally more frequent and faster than their big brothers PKS and Polski Bus, and they service more routes. There is rarely any sort of information counter, but destinations are displayed on the vehicles. Minibus stations are usually in the vicinity of the main bus station. Buy tickets from the driver.

Transport C ar & Motorcycl e 432 find them a few złoty different when you hit the road. Station Timetables ¨ Timetables are posted on boards either inside or outside PKS bus terminals. The timetable of odjazdy (departures) lists kierunek (destinations), przez (the places passed en route) and departure times. ¨ Check any symbols that accompany the departure time. These symbols can mean that the bus runs only on certain days or in certain seasons. They’re explained in the key at the end of the timetable but can be difficult to decipher. Tickets ¨ The only place to buy PKS tickets is at the bus station itself, either from the information/ticket counter or the bus driver. If you get on the bus somewhere along the route, you buy the ticket directly from the driver. ¨ Tickets for Polski Bus and other private national bus companies can be bought online. In this case, simply print out the ticket, or save the online ticket to your smartphone or tablet and show the driver when you board the bus. Car & Motorcycle Automobile Associations The Polski Związek Motorowy (PZM, Polish Automobile & Motorcycle Federation; %emergency 19 637; www.pzm.pl) is Poland’s national motoring organisation. It provides a 24-hour national roadside-assistance service. If you are a member of an affiliated automobile association, it will help you on roughly the same terms as your own organisation would. If not, you must pay for all services. Bringing Your Own Car Many tourists bring their own vehicles into Poland. There are no special formalities: all you need is your passport (with a valid visa if necessary), driving licence, vehicle registration document and proof of third-party insurance (called a Green Card). Fines are severe if you’re caught without insurance. A nationality plate or sticker must be displayed on the back of the car. Driving Licences Foreign driving licences are valid in Poland for up to 90 days. Fuel Benzyna (petrol) is readily available at petrol stations throughout the country. There are several different kinds and grades available, including 95- and 98-octane unleaded and diesel. The price of fuel can differ from petrol station to petrol station, with the highest prices typically found on major highways. Nearly all petrol stations are self-serve and accept credit cards. Car Hire Car-hire agencies require a passport, valid driving licence and credit card. You need to be at least 21 or 23 years of age (depending on the company). One-way hire within Poland is possible with most companies (usually for a fee), but most will insist on keeping the car within Poland. No company is likely to allow you to take its car beyond the eastern border. High insurance premiums mean that car hire in Poland is not cheap, and there are seldom any promotional discounts. As a rough guide only, economy models offered by reputable local companies cost about 170/900zł per day/week (including insurance and unlimited mileage). Rates at the big international agencies start at around 230/1100zł per day/ week. It’s usually cheaper to book your car from abroad or over the internet. Avis (%22 572 6565; www. avis.pl) Europcar (%22 255 5600; www.europcar.com.pl) Hertz (%22 500 1620; www. hertz.pl) Local Rent-a-Car (%22 826 7100; www.lrc.com.pl; ul Marszałkowska 140) Car-hire agency offering a midsized Opel Corsa in the summer months for €43 a day, or €273 a week, including tax, collision damage waiver (CDW), theft protection and unlimited mileage. Road Conditions ¨ Driving for long distances in Poland is no fun. Roads are crowded, and a massive effort in road building and repair in recent years has led to many detours and delays. ¨ Poland has only a few limited-access fourlane motorways, but an abundance of two- (and some four-) lane national highways. These vary greatly as to condition and speed. Often highways pass directly through the centres of towns and villages. Road Hazards Drive carefully on country roads, particularly at night; there are still horse-drawn carts on Polish roads. The further off the main routes you wander, the more elderly cyclists and carts, tractors and other agricultural machinery you’ll encounter. Road Rules Road rules are similar to much of the rest of Europe. A vehicle must be equipped with a first-aid kit, a red-andwhite warning triangle and a nationality sticker on the rear; the use of seat belts is compulsory. Drinking and driving is strictly forbidden – the legal blood-alcohol level

Transport Hitching 433 is 0.02%. Police can hit you with on-the-spot fines for speeding and other traffic offences (be sure to insist on a receipt). ¨ Speed limits are 30km/h to 50km/h in built-up areas, 90km/h on open roads, 110km/h on dual carriageways and 130km/h on motorways. ¨ Headlights must be on at all times, even during a sunny day. ¨ Motorcyclists should remember that both rider and passenger must wear helmets. Hitching ¨ Autostop (hitching) is never entirely safe anywhere in the world. Travellers who decide to hitch should understand that they are taking a small but potentially serious risk. Those who choose to hitch will be safer travelling in pairs, and letting someone know where they are planning to go. ¨ That said, hitching does take place in Poland; locals can often be seen thumbing a ride from one small village to the next. Car drivers rarely stop, though, and large commercial vehicles (which are easier to wave down) expect to be paid the equivalent of a bus fare. Local Transport Polish cities offer excellent public transport. Every large and medium-sized city will have a comprehensive autobus (bus) network, while some cities will also have tramwaj (tram) and trolejbus (trolleybus) systems. Warsaw is the only city with a metro. ¨ Public transport normally operates daily from around 5am to 11pm. Service is less frequent on weekends. ¨ Trams and buses are likely to be crowded during rush hour (7am to 9am and 4.30pm to 6.30pm Monday to Friday). ¨ Timetables are usually posted at stops, but don’t rely too much on their accuracy. Tickets & Fares Each city has a slightly different system of ticketing and fares, so be prepared to watch what the locals do and do likewise. Most cities have a fare system based on the duration of the ride, with a standard 60-minute ticket costing around 3zł. There may be slightly cheaper tickets available for shorter rides (20 or 30 minutes) and more 413 157 279 344 281 209 313 371 214 524 751 470 433 585 303 517 234 151 178 130 310 261 347 459 312 86 245 319 452 323 516 484 172 442 453 213 370 382 465 170 683 375 428 542 161 242 281 244 212 306 446 159 204 303 134 220 269 500 182 403 165 634 384 268 427 295 143 114 167 394 220 354 163 585 307 221 422 181 156 196 75 323 479 113 335 244 561 364 199 356 297 545 483 340 565 500 156 485 296 642 348 181 432 411 339 75 470 124 121 114 288 404 98 289 272 520 289 176 328 222 316 391 167 348 205 430 421 217 318 129 516 267 46 265 259 255 601 188 532 347 656 430 491 507 223 260 322 477 363 485 379 410 389 Toruń Bia×ystok Bydgoszcz Częstochowa Gdańsk Katowice Kielce Kraków Łódź Lublin Olsztyn Poznań Rzeszów Szczecin Warsaw Wrocław Opole Toruń Rzeszów Olsztyn Lublin Opole Cęstochowa Wrocław Łódź Gdańsk Kraków Bydgoszcz Zielona Góra Szczecin Kielce Poznań Katowice Warsaw ROAD DISTANCES (KM)

Transport Tours 434 expensive tickets for longer ones (90 minutes). There are many common features across Polish buses and trams: ¨ There are no conductors on board buses and trams. Buy tickets beforehand and punch or stamp them in one of the little machines installed near the doors once you enter the bus or tram. ¨ Buy tickets from newspaper kiosks like Ruch or Relay or from street stalls around the central stops. ¨ Buy several tickets at once since you may find yourself at a far-flung stop with no chance to buy tickets locally. ¨ Plain-clothes ticket inspectors are always on the prowl and foreigners are not exempt. Taxi Taxis are easily available and not too expensive. As a rough guide, a 5km taxi trip will cost around 20zł, and a 10km ride shouldn’t cost more than 35zł. Taxi fares are higher at night (10pm to 6am), on Sunday and outside the city limits. The number of passengers (usually up to four) and the amount of luggage doesn’t affect the fare. ¨ Avoid unmarked pirate taxis (called ‘mafia’ taxis by Poles), which usually have just a small ‘taxi’ sign on the roof with no name or phone number. ¨ You can flag down cabs on the street or order them by phone. We recommend ordering by phone if possible, as it cuts down the chance you’ll get a rogue driver. ¨ Remember to carry small bills, so you’ll be able to pay the exact fare. If you don’t, it’s hard to get change from a driver who’s intent on charging you more. Tours Jarden Tourist Agency (Map p132; %12 421 7166; www.jarden.pl; ul Szeroka 2; j3, 9, 19, 24, 50) Mainly Jewish-themed tours, including two- and three-hour walking tours of Kraków’s Kazimierz and Podgórze, as well as a popular two-hour driving tour of places made famous by the film Schindler’s List. Tours are priced per person, ranging from 40zł to 90zł, depending on the number participating. Mazurkas Travel (%22 536 4600; www.mazurkas.com. pl; al Wojska Polskiego 27; h8.30am-4.30pm Mon-Fri) Warsaw’s major tour operator offers three-hour bus tours (around 140zł per person) of the major sights, plus longer trips to Kraków and themed excursions around Poland, with the added benefit of pick-up and drop-off at your hotel. Our Roots (Map p54; %22 620 0556; www.our-roots. jewish.org.pl; ul Twarda 6) Specialises in tours of Jewish sites; the Jewish Warsaw tour lasts five hours and costs around 500zł. Other tours, including to Auschwitz-Birkenau and Treblinka, can be organised on request. PTTK Mazury (Map p372; %89 527 5156; www.mazury pttk.pl; ul Staromiejska 1; 10- day kayaking tour per person 1190zl; h9am-6pm Mon-Fri) This travel agency runs kayak tours along the country’s best rivers in and around the Great Masurian Lakes, including the 10-day Krutynia River route (known as Szlak Kajakowy Krutyni), regarded as Poland’s top kayaking trip. Few come away disappointed. Tours depart daily from May to October. Prices include a kayak, food, insurance, lodging in cabins and a Polish-, English- or German-speaking guide. The 103km trip begins at Stanica Wodna PTTK in Sorkwity, 50km east of Olsztyn, and goes down the Krutynia River and Lake Bełdany to Ruciane-Nida. Train Poland’s train network is extensive, easy to use and reasonably priced. It’s likely to be your main means of transport for covering long distances. That said, service to many smaller cities has been cut back in recent years, which means you may find yourself relying more on buses or a combination of bus and train. Train Companies For years, Polish trains were administered by the state monopoly Polskie Koleje Państwowe (PKP). In the past decade, the network has been broken up into different operators that manage different routes and trains. PKP InterCity (IC; %information 19 757; www.intercity.pl) runs all of Poland’s express trains, including ExpressInterCity Premium (EIP), ExpressInterCity (EIC) and TLK trains. A second main operator, Przewozy Regionalne (PR; %703 202 020; www.przewozy regionalne.pl), takes care of most other trains, including relatively fast InterRegio trains and slower Regio trains. Both networks cover the country and work in conjunction with each other. In many cases, you’ll buy tickets for both at the same station ticket windows. However, they do not honour each other’s tickets – buyer beware. Timetables & Information Rozkład jazdy (train timetables) are posted on the walls of most stations, with odjazdy (departures) written on yellow boards and przyjazdy (arrivals) on white. ¨ In addition to departure and arrival times, timetables also include initials beside the destinations to let you know what type of train is running: EIP, EIC, TLK, IR or Regio. Faster trains are marked in red and slower trains in black. ¨ The letter ‘R’ in a square indicates a train with compulsory seat reservations. There may also be some small letters and/ or numbers following the

Transport Tr ain 435 departure time that show whether a train runs on holidays or weekends (there should be a key at the bottom of the timetable to help you figure it out). ONLINE TIMETABLES There are several useful online timetables that show schedules between routes, and which usually display prices and allow you to purchase tickets online. www.rozklad-pkp.pl Shows information for all Polish trains. www.rozklad.sitkol.pl Another general timetable with easy-touse instructions in English. www.intercity.pl Displays information for high-speed express and TLK trains. Timetables normally require Polish spellings for cities (diacritical marks are not necessary). Tickets There are several options for buying tickets. Most of the time you’ll purchase them at train-station ticket windows. Plan to be at the station at least half an hour before the departure time of your train. ¨ Most ticket windows, but not all, accept payment with a credit card. ¨ Don’t expect ticket sellers to speak English. Write down the relevant details on a piece of paper. ¨ If a seat reservation is compulsory, you’ll automatically be sold a miejscówka (reservedseat ticket). ¨ You can board a train without a ticket if the ticket line’s not moving and the departure is imminent. Approach the conductor to pay a small supplement from 5zł to 10zł, depending on the train. ¨ Private travel companies can help organise travel times and book tickets online. One of the best of these is Polrail Service (%52 332 5781; www.polrail. com). Costs ¨ Costs for Polish trains vary greatly depending on the type of train and the distance travelled. It pays to shop around online before buying. Generally, 1st class is around St Petersburg Vilnius & Odesa Kyiv & Kyiv Dresden Berlin Moscow Budapest Vienna Gda¬sk Gulf of B A L T I C S E A Sobibor Che×m Muszyna Zgorzelec Koszalin Szczecin Malbork Tczew Elbl†g Reda I×awa Miko×ajki Brest WARSAW Toru¬ Kluczbork Koluszki ÷ód§ Opole Rzeszów Lviv Nowy S†cz PRAGUE Kostrzyn Bia×owie¤a Cottbus Ma×kinia Zakopane Rabka Mi‰dzylesie K×odzko Katowice Cz‰stochowa Kraków Tarnów Jas×o Przemy¢l Leszno Wroc×aw Legnica Wielkopolski Ostrów Gniezno Pozna¬ Góra Zielona Rzepin S×upsk Szczeci¬ski Stargard Pi×a Bydgoszcz Kutno Kielce Tarnobrzeg Wola Stalowa Zamo¢¦ Radom Lublin D‰blin ÷uków Siedlce ÷owicz Nasielsk Dzia×dowo Ruciane-Nida E×k Sokó×ka Bia×ystok Augustów Suwa×ki Gi¤ycko K‰trzyn Olsztyn Gda¬sk Gdynia Hel ÷eba Ustka Ko×obrzeg ±winouj¢cie (Kaliningrad Region) GERMANY REPUBLIC CZECH SLOVAKIA UKRAINE BELARUS RUSSIA LITHUANIA Polish Railways 0 100 km 0 60 miles

Transport Tr ain 436 50% more expensive than 2nd class. ¨ The most expensive trains are Intercity EIP/EIC trains. Prices for these include the basic ticket price, as well as a mandatory seat reservation. ¨ As a guideline, the approximate 2nd-class fare (including compulsory seat reservation) on an EIP train from Warsaw to Kraków is 135zł for the three-hour journey. The trip from Warsaw to Gdańsk also costs 135zł for around three hours. Going down the chain of train classifications, TLK trains offer similar speeds but usually cost much less. The journey from Warsaw to Kraków on a TLK train costs 54zł and takes three hours. The journey from Warsaw to Gdańsk costs 60zł and takes five hours. ¨ The following table shows a rough approximation of fares by distance for TLK trains. DISTANCE (KM) FARE (ZŁ) 50 18 100 28 150 38 200 40 250 45 300 50 350 52 400 55 450 58 500 65 Discounts ¨ Children under four travel for free. Older children and students up to age 26 are usually entitled to some form of discount, but the system is complicated and seems to change year by year. Your best bet is to ask whether you qualify for a cheaper fare when you buy your ticket. ¨ If you’re over 60 and planning to do a lot of travelling, ask about the karta seniora (senior concession) card that provides a 30% discount on 1st- and 2nd-class seats. Both major Polish operators, PKP InterCity and Przewozy Regionalne, offer similar senior cards, but the two are not interchangeable. Train Passes If you’re planning on travelling a lot, consider buying an InterRail pass. Passes are only available to those resident in Europe for at least six months and are priced in three bands: youth (under 26), adult 2nd class, and adult 1st class. Tickets cover five/eight/10/12 days’ travel within a month and range from €70 to €190. See www.interrail.net for more information. Train Stations Many Polish train stations are cleaning up their act these days, and stations in Kraków, Poznań and Warsaw are now attached to gleaming shopping malls. Others, such as those in Wrocław or Tarnów, are historic buildings in their own right. Most larger stations have waiting rooms, snack bars, newsagents, left luggage and toilets. TYPES OF TRAINS Poland’s rail network has several different types of train that differ primarily by speed, cost and level of comfort. Identify the train type by the initials on station and online timetables. ExpressInterCity Premium (EIP) This is a relatively new class of high-speed ‘Pendolino’ train that transits between major cities, such Warsaw, Kraków, Katowice, Wrocław and Gdańsk. Both 1st- and 2nd-class seats are available, and reservations are mandatory for both. ExpressInterCity (EIC) One step down from EIP trains, the modern, comfortable EIC trains also run between major cities, like Warsaw–Kraków and Warsaw–Gdańsk, but are slightly less expensive. There’s seating in both 1st and 2nd class, and reservations are complusory in both. TLK (Pociąg Twoje Linie Kolejowe; TLK) Low-cost express trains that run between major cities at speeds approaching EIP trains, but at fares that are around 40% cheaper. TLK trains are a step down in comfort, and can be crowded. There’s seating in both 1st and 2nd class; both classes require reservations. Bicycle access on TLK trains may be limited. InterRegio (Pociąg InterRegio; IR) These are the standard Polish ‘fast’ trains running between regions, with stops at most medium-sized cities along the route. IR trains normally don’t offer 1st-class seating, and no seat reservations are required. Regio (Pociąg Regio; Regio/Osob) These trains are much slower as they stop at all stations along the way. These may be 2nd-class only and reservations are not required.

437 Poland is linguistically one of the most homogeneous countries in Europe – more than 95% of the population has Polish as their first language. Polish belongs to the Slavic language family, with Czech and Slovak as close relatives. It has about 45 million speakers. Polish pronunciation is pretty straightforward, as each Polish letter is generally pronounced the same way wherever it occurs. Vowels are generally prounounced short, giving them a ‘clipped’ quality. Note that a is pronounced as the ‘u’ in ‘cut’, ai as in ‘aisle’ and ow as in ‘cow’. Polish also has nasal vowels (pronounced as though you’re trying to force the air through your nose), which are indicated in writing by the letters ą and ę. Depending on the letters following these vowels, they’re pronounced either as an m or an n sound following the vowel, ie ą as om or on and ę as em or en. Most Polish consonant sounds are also found in English. Note that kh is pronounced as in the Scottish loch, r is rolled and zh is pronounced as the ‘s’ in ‘leisure’. Consonants are sometimes grouped together without vowels between them, eg in pszczoła pshcho·wa – with a bit of practice they will roll off your tongue with ease. In our pronunciation guides the apostrophe (eg in kwiecień kfye·chen’) indicates that the preceding consonant is pronounced with a soft y sound. If you read the coloured pronunciation guides in this chapter as if they were English – and not worry too much about the intricacies of Polish pronunciation – you’ll be understood just fine. Note that stressed syllables are indicated with italics. In the following phrases the masculine/ feminine, polite and informal options are included where necessary and indicated with ‘m/f’, ‘pol’ and ‘inf’ respectively. BASICS Hello. Cześć. cheshch Goodbye. Do widzenia. do vee·dze·nya Yes./No. Tak./Nie. tak/nye Please. Proszę. pro·she Thank you. Dziękuję. jyen·koo·ye You’re welcome. Proszę. pro·she Excuse me./ Przepraszam. pshe·pra·sham Sorry. How are you? Jak pan/pani yak pan/pa·nee się miewa? (m/f pol) shye mye·va Jak się masz? (inf) yak shye mash Fine. And you? Dobrze. dob·zhe A pan/pani? (m/f pol) a pan/pa·nee Dobrze. A ty? (inf) dob·zhe a ti What’s your name? Jak się pan/pani yak shye pa·na/pa·nee nazywa? (m/f pol) na·zi·va Jakie się nazywasz? (inf) yak shye na·zi·vash My name is … Nazywam się … na·zi·vam shye … Do you speak English? Czy pan/pani mówi chi pan/pa·nee moo·vee po angielsku? (m/f pol) po an·gyel·skoo Czy mówisz chi moo·veesh po angielsku? (inf) po an·gyel·skoo I don’t understand. Nie rozumiem. nye ro·zoo·myem ACCOMMODATION Where’s a …? Gdzie jest …? gjye yest … campsite kamping kam·peeng guesthouse pokoje po·ko·ye gościnne gosh·chee·ne hotel hotel ho·tel youth hostel schronisko skhro·nees·ko młodzieżowe mwo·jye·zho·ve WANT MORE? For in-depth language information and handy phrases, check out Lonely Planet’s Polish Phrasebook. You’ll find it at shop.lonelyplanet.com. Language

438Language DIRECTIONS Do you have Czy jest chi yest a … room? pokój …? po·kooy … single jedno- yed·no· osobowy o·so·bo·vi double z podwójnym z pod·vooy·nim łóżkiem woozh·kyem How much is Ile kosztuje ee·le kosh·too·ye it per …? za …? za … night noc nots person osobę o·so·be air-con klimatyzator klee·ma·ti·za·tor bathroom łazienka wa·zhyen·ka window okno ok·no DIRECTIONS Where’s a/the …? Gdzie jest …? gjye yest … What’s the address? Jaki jest adres? ya·kee yest ad·res Could you please write it down? Proszę to napisać. pro·she to na·pee·sach Can you show me (on the map)? Czy może pan/pani chi mo·zhe pan/pa·nee mi pokazać mee po·ka·zach (na mapie)? (m/f) (na ma·pye) at the corner/ na rogu/ na ro·goo/ traffic lights światłach shfyat·wakh behind … za … za … in front of … przed … pshet … left lewo le·vo near … koło … ko·wo … next to … obok … o·bok … opposite … naprze- nap·she· ciwko … cheef·ko … straight ahead na wprost na fprost right prawo pra·vo EATING & DRINKING I’d like to Chciałem/am khchow·em/am reserve a zarezerwować za·re·zer·vo·vach table for … stolik … (m/f) sto·leek … (two) people dla (dwóch) dla (dvookh) osób o·soob (eight) o’clock na (ósmą) na (oos·mom) I don’t eat … Nie jadam … nye ya·dam … eggs jajek yai·ek fish ryb rib (red) meat (czerwonego) (cher·vo·ne·go) mięsa myen·sa poultry drobiu dro·byoo What would you recommend? Co by pan/pani tso bi pan/pa·nee polecił/poleciła? (m/f) po·le·cheew/po·le·chee·wa What’s in that dish? Co jest w tym daniu? tso yest v tim da·nyoo I’d like the menu, please. Proszę o jadłospis. pro·she o ya·dwo·spees That was delicious! To było pyszne. to bi·wo pish·ne Cheers! Na zdrowie! na zdro·vye Please bring the bill. Proszę o rachunek. pro·she o ra·khoo·nek Key Words bottle butelka boo·tel·ka KEY PATTERNS To get by in Polish, mix and match these simple patterns with words of your choice: When’s (the next bus)? Kiedy jest (następny kye·di yest (nas·temp·ni autobus)? ow·to·boos) Where’s (the market)? Gdzie jest (targ)? gjye yest (tark) Do you have (something cheaper)? Czy jest (coś chi yest (tsosh tańszego)? tan’·she·go) I have (a reservation). Mam (rezerwację). mam (re·zer·va·tsye) I’d like (the menu), please. Proszę pro·she (o jadłospis). (o ya·dwo·spees) I’d like to (hire a car). Chcę (wypożyczyć khtse (vi·po·zhi·chich samochód). sa·mo·khoot) Can I (take a photo)? Czy mogę (zrobić chi mo·ge (zro·beech zdjęcie)? zdyen·chye) Could you please (write it down)? Proszę (to pro·she (to napisać). na·pee·sach) Do I need (a guide)? Czy potrzebuję chi po·tshe·boo·ye (przewodnika)? (pshe·vod·nee·ka) I need (assistance). Potrzebuję po·tshe·boo·ye (pomoc). (po·mots)

439 Language EATING & DRINKING bowl miska mee·ska breakfast śniadanie shnya·da·nye cold zimny zheem·ni cup filiżanka fee·lee·zhan·ka dinner kolacja ko·la·tsya fork widelec vee·de·lets glass szklanka shklan·ka grocery sklep sklep spożywczy spo·zhiv·chi hot gorący go·ron·tsi knife nóż noosh lunch obiad o·byad market rynek ri·nek menu jadłospis ya·dwo·spees plate talerz ta·lesh restaurant restauracja res·tow·rats·ya spoon łyżka wish·ka vegetarian wegetariański ve·ge·ta·ryan’·skee with … z … z … without … bez … bes … Meat & Fish beef wołowina vo·wo·vee·na chicken kurczak koor·chak cod dorsz dorsh duck kaczka kach·ka fish ryba ri·ba herring śledź shlej lamb jagnięcina yag·nyen·chee·na lobster homar ho·mar mackerel makrela ma·kre·la meat mięso myen·so mussels małże mow·zhe oysters ostrygi os·tri·gee prawns krewetki kre·vet·kee pork wieprzowina vyep·sho·vee·na salmon łosoś wo·sosh seafood owoce morza o·vo·tse mo·zha trout pstrąg pstrong tuna tuńczyk toon΄·chik turkey indyk een·dik veal cielęcina chye·len·chee·na Fruit & Vegetables apple jabłko yabw·ko apricot morela mo·re·la bean fasola fa·so·la cabbage kapusta ka·poos·ta carrot marchewka mar·khef·ka cauliflower kalafior ka·la·fyor cherry czereśnia che·resh·nya cucumber ogórek o·goo·rek fruit owoc o·vots grapes winogrona vee·no·gro·na lemon cytryna tsi·tri·na lentil soczewica so·che·vee·tsa mushroom grzyb gzhib nut orzech o·zhekh onion cebula tse·boo·la orange pomarańcza po·ma·ran’·cha peach brzoskwinia bzhosk·fee·nya pear gruszka groosh·ka pepper (bell) papryka pa·pri·ka plum śliwka shleef·ka potato ziemniak zhyem·nyak strawberry truskawka troos·kaf·ka tomato pomidor po·mee·dor vegetable warzywo va·zhi·vo watermelon arbuz ar·boos Other bread chleb khlep cheese ser ser egg jajko yai·ko honey miód myood noodles makaron ma·ka·ron oil olej o·ley pasta makaron ma·ka·ron pepper pieprz pyepsh rice ryż rizh salt sól sool sugar cukier tsoo·kyer vinegar ocet o·tset SIGNS Wejście Entrance Wyjście Exit Otwarte Open Zamknięte Closed Informacja Information Wzbroniony Prohibited Toalety Toilets Panowie Men Panie Women

440Language EMERGENCIES Drinks beer piwo pee·vo coffee kawa ka·va (orange) sok sok juice (pomarańczowy) (po·ma·ran’·cho·vi) milk mleko mle·ko red wine wino vee·no czerwone cher·vo·ne soft drink napój na·pooy tea herbata her·ba·ta (mineral) woda vo·da water (mineralna) (mee·ne·ral·na) white wine wino białe vee·no bya·we EMERGENCIES Help! Na pomoc! na po·mots Go away! Odejdź! o·deyj Call the police! Zadzwoń po policję! zad·zvon’ po po·lee·tsye Call a doctor! Zadzwoń po lekarza! zad·zvon’ po le·ka·zha There’s been an accident. Tam był wypadek. tam biw vi·pa·dek I’m lost. Zgubiłem/am się. (m/f) zgoo·bee·wem/wam shye Where are the toilets? Gdzie są toalety? gjye som to·a·le·ti I’m ill. Jestem chory/a. (m/f) yes·tem kho·ri/ra It hurts here. Tutaj boli. too·tai bo·lee I’m allergic to (antibiotics). Mam alergię na mam a·ler·gye na (antybiotyki). (an·ti·byo·ti·kee) SHOPPING & SERVICES I’d like to buy … Chcę kupić … khtse koo·peech … I’m just looking. Tylko oglądam. til·ko o·glon·dam Can I look at it? Czy mogę to zobaczyć? chi mo·ge to zo·ba·chich How much is it? Ile to kosztuje? ee·le to kosh·too·ye That’s too expensive. To jest za drogie. to yest za dro·gye Can you lower the price? Czy może pan/pani chi mo·zhe pan/pa·nee obniżyć cenę? (m/f) ob·nee·zhich tse·ne There’s a mistake in the bill. Na czeku jest pomyłka. na che·koo yest po·miw·ka ATM bankomat ban·ko·mat credit card karta kar·ta kredytowa kre·di·to·va internet cafe kawiarnia ka·vyar·nya internetowa een·ter·ne·to·va mobile/cell telefon te·le·fon phone komórkowy ko·moor·ko·vi post office urząd oo·zhond pocztowy poch·to·vi tourist office biuro byoo·ro turystyczne too·ris·tich·ne TIME & DATES What time is it? Która jest godzina? ktoo·ra yest go·jee·na It’s one o’clock. Pierwsza. pyerf·sha Half past (10). Wpół do (jedenastej). fpoow do (ye·de·nas·tey) (lit: half to 11) morning rano ra·no afternoon popołudnie po·po·wood·nye evening wieczór vye·choor yesterday wczoraj fcho·rai today dziś/dzisiaj jeesh/jee·shai tomorrow jutro yoo·tro Monday poniedziałek po·nye·jya·wek Tuesday wtorek fto·rek Wednesday środa shro·da Thursday czwartek chfar·tek Friday piątek pyon·tek Saturday sobota so·bo·ta Sunday niedziela nye·jye·la January styczeń sti·chen΄ February luty loo·ti March marzec ma·zhets April kwiecień kfye·chyen΄ May maj mai June czerwiec cher·vyets July lipiec lee·pyets August sierpień shyer·pyen΄ September wrzesień vzhe·shyen΄ October październik pazh·jyer·neek November listopad lees·to·pat December grudzień groo·jyen΄

441 Language TRANSPORT TRANSPORT Public Transport When’s the Kiedy jest kye·di yest … (bus)? … (autobus)? … (ow·to·boos) first pierwszy pyerf·shi last ostatni os·tat·nee next następny nas·temp·ni boat statek sta·tek bus autobus ow·to·boos plane samolot sa·mo·lot taxi taksówka tak·soof·ka ticket office kasa ka·sa biletowa bee·le·to·va timetable rozkład jazdy ros·kwad yaz·di train pociąg po·chonk A … ticket Proszę bilet pro·she bee·let (to Katowice). … (do … (do Katowic). ka·to·veets) one-way w jedną v yed·nom stronę stro·ne return powrotny po·vro·tni What time does it get to …? O której godzinie o ktoo·rey go·jee·nye przyjeżdża do …? pshi·yezh·ja do … Does it stop at …? Czy się zatrzymuje w…? chi shye za·tshi·moo·ye v … Please tell me when we get to … Proszę mi powiedzieć pro·she mee po·vye·jyech gdy dojedziemy do … gdi do·ye·jye·mi do … Please take me to (this address). Proszę mnie zawieźć pro·she mnye za·vyeshch pod (ten adres). pod (ten ad·res) Please stop here. Proszę się tu pro·she shye too zatrzymać. za·tshi·mach Driving & Cycling I’d like to Chcę khtse hire a … wypożyczyć … vi·po·zhi·chich … 4WD samochód sa·mo·khoot terenowy te·re·no·vi bicycle rower ro·ver car samochód sa·mo·khoot motorbike motocykl mo·to·tsikl Is this the road to …? Czy to jest droga do …? chi to yest dro·ga do … Where’s a service station? Gdzie jest stacja gjye yest sta·tsya benzynowa? ben·zi·no·va How long can I park here? Jak długo można yak dwoo·go mozh·na tu parkować? too par·ko·vach I need a mechanic. Potrzebuję po·tshe·boo·ye mechanika. me·kha·nee·ka I’ve had an accident. Miałem/am wypadek.(m/f) myow·em/am vi·pa·dek diesel diesel dee·zel leaded ołowiowa o·wo·vyo·va petrol/gas benzyna ben·zi·na unleaded bezołowiowa bes·o·wo·vyo·va NUMBERS 1 jeden ye·den 2 dwa dva 3 trzy tshi 4 cztery chte·ri 5 pięć pyench 6 sześć sheshch 7 siedem shye·dem 8 osiem o·shyem 9 dziewięć jye·vyench 10 dziesięć jye·shench 20 dwadzieścia dva·jyesh·chya 30 trzydzieści tshi·jyesh·chee 40 czterdzieści chter·jyesh·chee 50 pięćdziesiąt pyen·jye·shont 60 sześćdziesiąt shesh·jye·shont 70 siedemdziesiąt shye·dem·jye·shont 80 osiemdziesiąt o·shem·jye·shont 90 dziewięćdziesiąt jye·vyen·jye·shont 100 sto sto 1000 tysiąc ti·shonts QUESTION WORDS What? Co? tso When? Kiedy? kye·di Where? Gdzie? gjye Which? Który/a/e? ktoo·ri/ra/re (m/f/n) Who? Kto? kto Why? Dlaczego? dla·che·go

GLOSSARY Language GLOSSARY 442 The following is a list of terms and abbreviations you’re likely to come across in your travels through Poland. For other food and drink terms, see page 438. aleja or Aleje – avenue, main city street; abbreviated to al in addresses and on maps apteka – pharmacy bankomat – ATM bar mleczny – milk bar; a sort of basic self-service soup kitchen that serves very cheap, mostly vegetarian dishes bazylika – basilica bez łazienki – room without bathroom biblioteka – library bilet – ticket biuro turystyki – travel agency biuro zakwaterowania – office that arranges private accommodation brama – gate britzka – horse-drawn cart Cepelia – a shop network selling artefacts made by local artisans cerkiew (cerkwie) – Orthodox or Uniat church(es) cukiernia – cake shop Desa – chain of old art and antique sellers dom kultury – cultural centre dom wycieczkowy – term applied to PTTK-run hostels; also called dom turysty domy wczasowe – workers’ holiday homes dwór – mansion góra – mountain gospoda – inn, tavern, restaurant grosz – unit of Polish currency, abbreviated to gr; plural groszy; see also złoty jaskinia – cave kancelaria kościelna – church office kantor(s) – private currency-exchange office(s) kawiarnia – cafe kemping – camping kino – cinema kolegiata – collegiate church komórka – literally, ‘cell’; commonly used for cellular (mobile) phone kościół – church księgarnia – bookshop kwatery agroturystyczne – agrotourist accommodation kwatery prywatne – rooms for rent in private houses miejscówka – reserved-seat ticket muzeum – museum na zdrowie! – cheers!; literally, ‘to the health’ noclegi – accommodation odjazdy – departures (on transport timetables) ostrów – island otwarte – open park narodowy – national park parking strzeżony – guarded car park pchać – pull (on door) pensjonat(y) – pension or private guesthouse(s) peron – railway platform piekarnia – bakery PKS – Państwowa Komunikacja Samochodowa; former state-run company that runs most of Poland’s bus transport Plac – Sq poczta – post office poczta główna – main post office pokój 1-osobowy – single room pokój 2-osobowy – double room przechowalnia bagażu – left-luggage room przez – via, en route (on transport timetables) przyjazdy – arrivals (on transport timetables) PTSM – Polskie Towarzystwo Schronisk Młodzieżowych; Polish Youth Hostel Association PTTK – Polskie Towarzystwo Turystyczno-Krajoznawcze; Polish Tourist & Countryside Association rachunek – bill or check riksza – bicycle rickshaws rozkład jazdy – transport timetable Rynek – Town/Market Sq sanktuarium – church (usually pilgrimage site) schronisko górskie – mountain hostel, providing basic accommodation and meals, usually run by the PTTK schronisko młodzieżowe – youth hostel Sejm – the lower house of parliament skansen – open-air ethnographic museum sklep – shop stanica wodna – waterside hostel, usually with boats, kayaks and other water-related facilities stare miasto – old town/city Stary Rynek – Old Town/ Market Sq stołówka – canteen; restaurant or cafeteria of a holiday home, workplace, hostel etc święty/a (m/f) – saint; abbreviated to Św szopka – Nativity scene teatr – theatre toalety – toilets ulica – street; abbreviated to ul in addresses (and placed before the street name); usually omitted on maps Uniat – Eastern-rite Catholics

Language GLOSSARY 443 wódka – vodka; the number one Polish spirit z łazienką – room with bathroom zajazd – inn (sometimes restaurant) zamek – castle zdrój – spa złoty – unit of Polish currency; abbreviated to zł; divided into 100 units called grosz Food Glossary bażant – pheasant befsztyk – beef steak befsztyk tatarski – raw minced beef accompanied by chopped onion, raw egg yolk and often chopped dill, cucumber and anchovies botwinka – soup made from the stems and leaves of baby beetroots; often includes a hard-boiled egg bryzol – grilled beef (loin) steak budyń – milk pudding chłodnik – chilled beetroot soup with sour cream and fresh vegetables; served in summer only ciastko – pastry, cake ćwikła z chrzanem – boiled and grated beetroot with horseradish dorsz – cod dzik – wild boar gęś – goose gołąbki – cabbage leaves stuffed with minced beef and rice, sometimes also with mushrooms grochówka – pea soup, sometimes served z grzankami (with croutons) indyk – turkey kaczka – duck kapuśniak – sauerkraut and cabbage soup with potatoes karp – carp knedle ze śliwkami – dumplings stuffed with plums kopytka – Polish ‘gnocchi’; noodles made from flour and boiled potatoes kotlet schabowy – a fried pork cutlet coated in breadcrumbs, flour and egg, found on nearly every Polish menu krupnik – thick barley soup containing a variety of vegetables and small chunks of meat kurczak – chicken leniwe pierogi – boiled noodles served with cottage cheese łosoś wędzony – smoked salmon melba – ice cream with fruit and whipped cream mizeria ze śmietaną – sliced fresh cucumber in sour cream naleśniki – crepes; fried pancakes, most commonly z serem (with cottage cheese), z owocami (with fruit) or z dżemem (with jam), and served with sour cream and sugar pieczeń cielęca – roast veal pieczeń wieprzowa – roast pork pieczeń wołowa – roast beef pieczeń z dzika – roast wild boar placki ziemniaczane – fried pancakes made from grated raw potato, egg and flour; served ze śmietaną (with sour cream) or z cukrem (with sugar) polędwica po angielsku – English-style beef; roast fillet of beef pstrąg – trout pyzy – ball-shaped steamed dumplings made of potato flour rosół – beef or chicken (z wołowiny/z kury) bouillon, usually served z makaronem (with noodles) rumsztyk – rump steak ryż z jabłkami – rice with apples sałatka jarzynowa – ‘vegetable salad’; cooked vegetables in mayonnaise, commonly known as Russian salad sałatka z pomidorów – tomato salad, often served with onion sarna – deer, venison schab pieczony – roast loin of pork seasoned with prunes and herbs serem i z makiem – dumplings with cottage cheese/ poppy seeds śledź w oleju – herring in oil with chopped onion śledź w śmietanie – herring in sour cream stek – steak surówka z kapusty kiszonej – sauerkraut, sometimes served with apple and onion sztuka mięsa – boiled beef with horseradish zając – hare zrazy zawijane – stewed beef rolls stuffed with mushrooms and/or bacon and served in a sour-cream sauce zupa grzybowa – mushroom soup zupa jarzynowa – vegetable soup zupa ogórkowa – cucumber soup, usually with potatoes and other vegetables zupa pomidorowa – tomato soup, usually served either z makaronem (with noodles) or z ryżem (with rice) zupa szczawiowa – sorrel soup, usually served with hardboiled egg

444 SEND US YOUR FEEDBACK We love to hear from travellers – your comments keep us on our toes and help make our books better. Our well-travelled team reads every word on what you loved or loathed about this book. Although we cannot reply individually to your submissions, we always guarantee that your feedback goes straight to the appropriate authors, in time for the next edition. Each person who sends us information is thanked in the next edition – the most useful submissions are rewarded with a selection of digital PDF chapters. Visit lonelyplanet.com/contact to submit your updates and suggestions or to ask for help. Our award-winning website also features inspirational travel stories, news and discussions. Note: We may edit, reproduce and incorporate your comments in Lonely Planet products such as guidebooks, websites and digital products, so let us know if you don’t want your comments reproduced or your name acknowledged. For a copy of our privacy policy visit lonelyplanet.com/ privacy. OUR READERS Many thanks to the travellers who used the last edition and wrote to us with helpful hints, useful advice and interesting anecdotes: A Alyssa Donald, Aneta McNally, Arie van Oosterwijk, Assen Totin B Brian Mooney D Daniëlle Wolbers, David Bourchier, Debbie Greenlee E Elaine Silver, Emlyn Williams G Gillian Gardiner J Jalle Daels K Kingsley Jones L Lars Walter, Lucas Szymansk, Łukasz Patejuk M Marcia Anton, Marcus Hinske, Marie Neumann, Mark Wenig, Mathieu Gendaj, Mikolaj Stasiewicz N Nicolas Combremont P Peter Divine R Reinhart Eisenberg S Stefan Görke AUTHORS’ THANKS Mark Baker I would like to thank the many people who took me under their wing along the way, with a special mention for Olga Brzezińska, Magdalena Krakowska and Anna Czerwinska. Marc Di Duca Huge thanks go to parents-in-law Mykola and Vira for looking after the boys while I was away, and to my wife Tanya for holding the fort. Also much gratitude goes to the staff at tourist offices across the region but in particular those in Gdańsk, Świnoujście, Sopot, Olsztyn and Grudziądz. Tim Richards My intricate journey through forests and cities was eased by the good nature of the Polish people, who cheerfully answered questions and endured my imperfect command of their language. Thanks in particular to the staff of local tourist offices, who were always helpful. Gratitude also to Poland’s rail companies, whose trains took me all over the place (and were quite punctual). Thanks too to those restaurants who were happy to tinker with Polish classics to meet my new-found vegetarianism. Dziękuję! ©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd Behind the Scenes

BEHIND THE SCENES ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Climate maps data adapted from Peel MC, Finlayson BL & McMahon TA (2007) ‘Updated World Map of the Koppen-Geiger Climate Classification’, Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, 11, 1633-44. Cover photograph: St Mary’s Basilica, Kraków, in winter, Witold Skrypczak / Getty Images © 445 ©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd THIS BOOK This is the 8th edition of Lonely Planet’s Poland guidebook and was researched and written by Mark Baker, Marc Di Duca and Tim Richards. The previous edition of the guide was also written by the same writers, while the 6th edition was written by Tim Richards, Neal Bedford, Steve Fallon and Marika McAdam. This guidebook was produced by the following: Destination Editor Gemma Graham Product Editors Elizabeth Jones, Amanda Williamson Cartographer Valentina Kremenchutskaya Book Designer Wendy Wright Assisting Editors Sarah Bailey, Imogen Bannister, Victoria Harrison, Rosie Nicholson, Christopher Pitts, Jeanette Wall Cover Researcher Naomi Parker Language Content Branislava Vladisavljevich Thanks to Jane Grisman, James Hardy, Andi Jones, Catherine Naghton, Karyn Noble, Lauren Wellicome, Tracy Whitmey

446 Map Pages 000 Photo Pages 000 Index A accommodation 321, 420- 22, see also individual locations language 437-8 activities 28-36, see also individual activities air travel 428, 430 airports 83, 84, 157, 428 amber 325 animals 414-17, see also individual species aqua parks, see water parks archaeological museums, see also ethnographic museums, Jewish history museums, museums Archaeological Museum (Kraków) 129 Archaeological Museum (Poznań) 285, 287 Archaeological Museum (Wrocław) 244 Biskupin Archaeological Reserve 301 Chełm Museum (Ethnographaphy and Archaeology branch) 189 Elbląg Museum 347-8 Museum of the Origins of the Polish State 299 Zawodzie Archaeological Reserve 302 archaeological sites Biskupin Archaeological Reserve 301 Castle Hill 343 Kwidzyn Castle 344 Lake Lednica 300 Zawodzie Archaeological Reserve 302 area codes 17, 426 art galleries Art Gallery (Sopot) 329 Baltic Gallery of Contemporary Art 355 Centre for Contemporary Art 67 Centre of Drawing & Graphic Arts 302 Galeria El 348 Herbst Palace 91 Modern Art Gallery (Gdańsk) 319 MS1 Museum of Art 89 MS2 Museum of Art 91 Museum of Bourgeois Art 241 Museum of Contemporary Art in Kraków 134 National Museum (Poznań) 288 National Museum Department of Art (Szczecin) 365 Rzeszów Regional Museum 208 Wozownia Art Gallery 337 Art Nouveau architecture Łódź 93 Płock 97-9 Rzeszów 207-8 Szczecin 363-5 arts 409-12 ATMs 425 Augustów 112-15 Augustów-Suwałki region 112-17, 112 Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial & Museum 15, 279-80, 15 automobile associations 432 B ballooning 138 bar mleczny 40-1, 75 bathrooms 427 battles Battle for Racławice 243 Grunwald 374-5 beaches 11, 415, 11 Kołobrzeg 360 Mierzeja Wiślana 350 Solina Lake 222 Sopot 327-9 Ustka 356 beer 40, see also breweries Beskid Niski 223-7 Beskid Sądecki 227-33 Białowieża National Park 15, 109-12, 15 Białystok 102-5, 103 bicycle travel 430-1 language 441 Biebrza National Park 106-7 Biecz 226-7 Bieszczady 214-23 bigos 38 birds 416, 417 birdwatching Biebrza National Park 106 Łuknajno Reserve 385 Słowiński National Park 353-4 Wolin National Park 352 Biskupin 301 bison 417 Białowieża National Park 15, 110, 15 bison enclosure (Gołuchów) 304 Wolin National Park 352 Black Madonna 13, 163, 13 boat travel 431, see also individual locations boating 35-6, 375 Augustów 114 Biebrza National Park 106 Biskupin 301 Elbląg-Ostróda Canal 376 Gdańsk 327 Giżycko 382-3 Kazimierz Dolny 187 Kraków 138 Mierzeja Wiślana 350 Mikołajki 384 Niedzica 236 Pułtusk 101 Wrocław 245 Bohoniki 108-9 books 388, 409-10 history 403 Jewish history 397, 406, 407 WWII 396, 402 border crossings 426, 428, see also visas Boyks people 215 bread 186 breweries, see also beer Gdańsk 323 Kalisz 303 Szczecin 368 Toruń 340 Wrocław 248 Zielona Góra 282 Zwierzyniec 195 budgeting 17 bus tours 434 Kraków 139 Warsaw 70 Wrocław 245 bus travel to/from Poland 428-9 429-30 within Poland 431-2 bunkers Bunkry Blüchera 356 Caponier 8813 212 Project Riese 256 Wolf’s Lair 12, 380, 12 business hours 17, 422 Bystrzyca Kłodzka 267-8 C cable cars Mt Jaworzyna 230-1 Mt Kasprowy Wierch 200 communist architecture 18, 62-3, 62-3 Kielce 170 Kraków 136-8

447 INDEX C Poznań 288 Warsaw 57, 61, 64, 65, 75 canals Augustów Canal 113 Elbląg-Ostróda Canal 375, 376 canoeing, see water sports car hire 432 car travel 432-3 language 441 Carpathian Foothills 202-14 Carpathian Mountains 43, 196-236 accommodation 196 climate 196 food 196 highlights 197, 197 travel seasons 196 Casimir III the Great, see Kazimierz III Wieki castles, fortresses & palaces 18 Barbican (Warsaw) 53, 56 Belvedere Palace 67 Boyen Fortress 382 Castle (Kętrzyn) 380-1 Castle of the Pomeranian Dukes (Szczecin) 363-4 Citadel (Warsaw) 57 Czorsztyn 236 fortress (Lidzbark Warmiński) 376-7 Golub Castle 341 Kazimierz Dolny Castle 184 Kłodzko Fortress 263 Krzyżtopór Castle 174 Książ Castle 255 Kwidzyn Castle 344 Malbork Castle 11, 345-6, 11 Ojców Castle 161 Palace on the Water 66-7 Pieskowa Skała Castle 161 Przemyśl Castle 212 Przemyśl Fortress 212 Pułtusk Castle 101 Radziwiłł Palace 59 Royal Castle and Regional Museum (Sandomierz) 172-3 Royal Castle (Warsaw) 52-3, 5 Sanok Castle 214 Toszek Castle 274 Ujazdów Castle 67 Wawel Royal Castle 120-1 Wilanów Palace 69, 9 cathedrals, see churches & cathedrals caves Dragon’s Den 125 Galos Salt Caves 266 King Łokietek Cave 161-2 Solana Salt Grotto 266 Wierzchowska Górna Cave 162 caving 36 cell phones 16, 426 cerkwie 232 chapels, see churches & cathedrals chairlifts Mt Kopa 262 Mt Szrenica 260 Palenica 234 Zakopane 200 Chełm 187-90 Chełmno 341-3 children, travelling with 58, 422-3 Chopin, Frédéric 411, 412 birthplace of 86 festivals 70 museums about 59 recitals 66, 152 remains of 58 Christian cemeteries, see also Jewish cemeteries, Muslim cemeteries Suwałki 115-16 Zakopane 199 churches & cathedrals 232 Abbey Church 250-1 Arka Pana 136, 63 Basilica of St Francis 128 Bernardine Church 302 Carmelite Church 58 Cathedral (Frombork) 349-50 Cathedral (Gniezno) 297-9 Cathedral (Kołobrzeg) 359 Cathedral (Kwidzyn) 345 Cathedral (Olsztyn) 372 Cathedral (Płock) 99 Cathedral (Sandomierz) 172 Cathedral Basilica of St James 365 Cathedral of Christ the King 274 Cathedral of SS James and Agnes 269 Cathedral of SS John the Baptist & John the Evangelist (Toruń) 335 Cathedral of St John the Baptist (Lublin) 179 Cathedral of St John the Baptist (Wrocław) 244, 10 Chapel of Skulls 265, 266 Chapel on the Water 161, 195 Church (Kartuzy) 333 Church of Our Lady (Święta Lipka) 377-8 Church of Our Lady on the Sand 244 Church of Peace 253 Church of SS Erasmus and Pancras 257 Church of SS John the Baptist & John the Evangelist (Chełmno) 342 Church of SS Peter & Paul (Chełmno) 342 Church of SS Peter & Paul (Kraków) 129 Church of SS Stanislaus and Wenceslas 253-4 Church of SS Stanislaus, Wenceslas and Dorothy 244 Church of SS Vincent and James 243 Church of St Adalbert 127 Church of St Andrew 129 Church of St Barbara 127 Church of St Bartholomew 136 Church of St Benedict 135 Church of St Elizabeth 241-2 Church of St Francis Xavier 343-4 Church of St Giles 244 Church of St John the Baptist 175 Church of St Mary Magdalene 242 Church of the Assumption of Mary 224 Church of the Holy Cross 58, 256 Church of the Holy Name of Jesus 243 Church of the Holy Redeemer 68 Collegiate Church 101, 303 Collegiate Church of St Margaret 228 Corpus Christi Church 129-30 Corpus Christi Parish Church 226 Dominican Priory 178-9 Field Cathedral of the Polish Army 56-7 Franciscan Church (Poznań) 287 Franciscan Church of St Mary Magdalene 212 Franciscan Church of the Holy Cross 215, 224 Franciscan Church of the Holy Trinity 271-2 Garrison Church of St Casimir 275 Holy Cross Cathedral 271 Holy Cross Church 170 Kazimierz Dolny Parish Church 184 Kielce Cathedral 167 Łowicz Cathedral 97 Nuns of the Holy Sacrament 56 Old Church & Cemetery (Zakopane) 199 Oliwa Cathedral 319 Orthodox Cathedral of the Holy Trinity 216 Orthodox Church 69 Orthodox Church of the Holy Spirit 103 Parish Church (Chełmno) 342 Parish Church (Kłodzko) 264 Parish Church (Poznań) 287 Parish Church of Our Lady 219 Parish Church of St Michael the Archangel 267 Pauline Church of SS Michael & Stanislaus 130 Piarists’ Church 97 Poznań Cathedral 289 Premonstratensian Convent 140 Royal Chapel 316 St Anne’s Church 58 St Bridget’s Church 317 St Catherine’s Church 130-1, 317 St George’s Church 381 St Gertrude’s Chapel 358 St Hyacinthus’ Church 354-5 St John’s Cathedral 53 St Mary’s Basilica (Chełm) 188-9